Haunted
by EllieJayde
Summary: When the Chicago PD calls Manhattan SVU for help regarding a dual-city pedophile ring turned personal, Amanda works feverishly to help the case but is affected as memories of her sister come back to haunt her. The unseen Rollaro moments during the Chicago Fire/SVU/Chicago PD Crossover Episode! Two-Shot! Nick x Amanda - Rollaro
1. Part No1

Hiii! I started this over a month ago and I'm just now finishing the first half of it! Life is crazy rn! But anyways, these are the missing Rollaro scenes from the Chicago Fire/Chicago PD/SVU Crossover. These are all things I wanted to see happen on screen but unfortunately it isn't Law and Order: Rollaro so...yeah. Some parts are pretty cheesy but with little on screen scenes I like to amp my stories up a bit. This is only the Chicago Fire and SVU episode, I'm working on the Chicago PD portion now, so it will be a two part story. I hope you guys like this!

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING :(

**November 7**

It had been a long day…one that never seemed to end. Amanda stayed longer than normal at the station, trying to complete the last several files that had begun to collect dust in the amount of time they took home on her desk.

Nick had clocked out a few hours prior to Amanda, but before leaving the building, he discreetly kneeled down next to Amanda's desk and made sure she knew his door was open and that she was _free_ to stop by once she called it a night. Although, it was more for anticipation reasons than for a simple suggestion, as they both knew an evening together had been more of a probability lately than them sleeping alone on any given night.

Nick walked out of the station with a smirk, leaving Amanda at her desk with a new found motive to finish the night's work.

Just over an hour later, Amanda finally picked up the last file upon her desk and placed it before her. Giving her knuckles a crack and her neck a stretch, she reached for her pen, ready to end the night with her secret lover. But just as she reached the midpoint of her final case-sheet, Amanda's desk phone began ringing, filling the primarily vacant station with the brassy noise. Calls did not usually come directly to the Special Victims Unit at such a late hour, and if they did, it would be routinely wired to Liv. Although she couldn't deny her curiosity, so Amanda reached for the piercing phone with an exasperated huff.

"Detective Amanda Rollins, Manhattan SVU," Amanda answered mechanically.

* * *

><p>After Amanda ended the call with Erin, she rushed through her final case-sheet and quickly gathered her belongings to leave. Within ten minutes, Amanda was knocking a familiar door and relinquishing in a known embrace.<p>

"One of the victims Nick, it's her brother…her _brother_…" Amanda whispered to Nick, rubbing her toes against his leg as she lounged on the opposite side of the couch from him.

"Come here," Nick spoke, moving from his position on the cushion to accommodate another person next to him; Amanda slowly scooted over to Nick as he lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulders, "how long has it been?"

"I'm not sure, he looked pretty young in the photo, Erin mentioned that she hadn't seen him in a while…maybe eight years?"

"I'm not talking about Lindsay, Amanda," Nick had been worried about Amanda for a while now, even before they started seeing each other. He he had only been able to get vague information out of Amanda regarding her childhood, but even that was minimal. Of course, Nick never wanted to push Amanda into revealing something she wasn't comfortable sharing, but he hoped she trusted him enough to let him in and help her deal with her past rather than avoid it when cases such as these came up at SVU.

Amanda looked up at him through her lashes, something that - even before they got together - would make Nick's heart turn to fire. "How long has it been since you've heard from Kim?" Nick rephrased cautiously, knowing this simple question could take the night one of two ways: a heartfelt night of honestly and passion_ or_ with Amanda leaving in a fit of ire that would stem into a newfound distrust between them.

Nick heard Amanda's sharp intake of breathe, and his stomach began to knot as he suddenly expected the latter of his two possibilities for the night to come; Amanda sank deeper into his embrace and hid her face in his chest. Her intention wasn't to keep her past a mysterious secret, letting Nick in was the goal at some point in their relationship - if that's what you could call it. However, talking about her childhood made it real and it meant all those horrendous things actually happened; and therefore, it ultimately brought back memories and emotions she'd spent years suppressing.

As time continued to pass without a response from Amanda, Nick stopped expecting one and decided to let the topic go, as he would rather not upset her further than she already was by the Chicago detective's call.

"Two years…" Amanda whispered, so lightly Nick wasn't sure if the she actually said something or if it was just the wind, "six months and 11 days…"

This caught Nick off guard. He didn't expect Amanda to answer, and especially not with the answer to his question down to the exact day. Silence filled the room once again, but rather than say anything, he just adjusted his position so he could nudge Amanda into looking at him.

"That's how long since Tucker called me into his office and told me Kim had fled…since I walked into my empty apartment…since I've heard a word from her…" Amanda knew Nick wanted, and deserved, an answer. He had been nothing but patient with her ever since Kim's initial appearance, never urging for information that she wasn't ready to give and settling for the little she did give him.

At this, Nick didn't know how to respond, nothing seemed to fit…he knew nothing he could say right then could fill the painful void in Amanda's chest. So rather than saying anything, he broke away from Amanda's deep stare and took his hand from around her shoulders to place it on the back of her head and bring her forehead in for a light kiss.

"I'm gunna to find him." Amanda said definitively once Nick had released her head, but before he could question her comment, she continued, "I am going to find Erin's brother…if not for her, then for Kim…"

This only made Nick's heart swell more. Many only saw Amanda as the troubled Southern detective who didn't take no for an answer; but very few got to see _this_ side of her, and for that, Nick felt like the luckiest man in the world.

Amanda was a phenomenal detective, which was something no one could deny, yet outside of the station, she was just as remarkable. Regrettably, it took Nick three years to see beyond Amanda's fiery opinions and notice her passion and inner intentions. Liv was a great supporter and Fin a reliable friend to confide in, but it was always Amanda who would lend an ear to his marital problems without trying to micromanage his problems, and then go the extra mile to help him. It was crazy to think both of their stubbornness kept them at odds for so long, when, in reality, they are what each other needed the whole time.

"And I'm going to help you, Amanda." He said into her hair, "I'll be right there beside you."

* * *

><p><strong>November 8<strong>

6:00 am

6:30 am

7:00 am

7:27 am

Nick's eyes shot open while Amanda gently stirred in his arms. Without thought, Nick raised his free arm and felt around his bedside table for the blaring sound's culprit. Grasping his cell phone in his hand, Nick brought the phone to his ear, still groggy with sleep.

"Detective Amaro."

"Nick, where the hell are you?" Liv's voice blared through the speaker. With this, Nick sat up to the best of his ability while Amanda was still curled to his side, peacefully asleep. In a rush, he scanned the room, his memory slowly returning to the matter at hand, until his eyes finally reached the bright red numbers on the clock.

7:28 am … _shit_.

"Jesus, Liv. I am so sorry, I had no idea of the time, my alarm, it didn't go off…" Nick said in a rush, using a mix of apology and excuse.

"Just get here, Nick. We got a serious case from the Chicago PD; two of their detectives will be here within the next hour and you still need to be briefed." Liv rambled, clearly not in the mood for his pathetic justifications for the morning.

"Got it Sarg., I'll be there in a few."

"Oh, and Nick…do you have an idea as to where Rollins might be this morning? She hasn't arrived either and she's not answering her phone. This is a big case for her…" The anger and mix of sarcastic humor was prevalent in Olivia's tone, but all Nick could do was stare at the sleeping blonde next to him.

"Umm…no, not a clue," With hesitation, Nick answered vaguely as he spotted Amanda's gold purse on the chair across from his bed, instantly knowing why Liv had failed to reach her. "I'll be out of my house in ten, want me to swing by her apartment to make sure everything's okay? It's only a few blocks-…"

"No, I'll handle it. Thanks." And with that Liv hung up with an aggravated huff.

He couldn't lie, knowing Liv was struggling to reach her blonde detective while she was lying right beside him made Nick smirk with amusement. He was never one to purposely offend his superior, but Amanda had brought a new excitement into his life, maybe he was the choirboy she always made him out to be…

Nick wanted nothing more than to settle back down next to Amanda and relinquish in the peaceful silence for just a few moments longer, as it was obvious this case was going to be one of their toughest to date, especially for Amanda, considering her understanding of Detective Lindsay's predicament. But, he knew time was of the essence, and waiting would only lead to further problems.

After setting his phone back down on his nightstand, Nick took his arm and ran his hand down Amanda's porcelain skin, "Amanda…hey."

Watching Amanda wake up reminded Nick much of his daughter; just as Zara would lift her arms above her head in a stretch with a groan, Amanda would do much the same while her eyes fluttered open and a confused grin crossed her face.

"What's wrong?" Amanda moaned, sensing Nick's tension.

"It's 7:30, Liv's been trying to get a hold of us all morning…"

Amanda crinkled her eyebrows in a state of confusion, deliberating what she was just told. With the shot of her eyes, Nick knew she now understood their predicament. "Nick! We're so late, Lindsay is probably on her way to the station right now, and I don't even have fresh clothes here anymore!" Nick couldn't deny Amanda's charming adorability when she became panicked. The normally cool and collected Detective Rollins was not one to be thrown off her poise, so watching as her brows rose with alarm, her icy eye to become sharp and her cheeks into warm into a rosy glow was a sight to see.

Amanda had since untangled herself from Nicks embrace, thrown off the covers blanketing the bed and was now racing throughout the room in search for her pants and blouse. Nick couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"This isn't funny, a-hole!" Amanda snared at Nick, throwing his own pair of pants onto his lap. Even in her flustered state, Amanda could still quip a humorous insult in Nick's direction. "I've been trying so hard to get back on decent terms with Liv and…"

"Hey, hey, hey," Nick breathed amusingly while making his way over to the rushing blonde, but despite his advances Amanda continued dashing around. "Amanda, listen…it's alright, I've got it covered."

Taking her by the arms and encircling her with a hug, Nick gave Amanda a light kiss on the forehead but could still feel her heart beat in their proximity. "Go ahead and go back to your place to get ready, I'll be at the station in a matter of minutes. I'll tell Liv about some kind of traffic accident I came across on the way; it will buy you some time and when you get to the station just mention the bridge and cell service or something...I have confidence in you." Nick laughed, but Amanda wasn't as sold.

"Trust me…" And with that Nick placed a kiss on Amanda's lips; although they were reluctant to let each other go, both went their separate ways.

* * *

><p>"Alright. It's getting late, why don't you two go ahead and call it a night. Good job today; first thing tomorrow morning though, I want a meeting with Jocelyn, m'kay?"<p>

"Got it, Sarg.," Amanda chipped, eager to get out of the station for the day. It had far surpassed eleven at night, a far cry from their usual daily hours.

"Have a good night, Liv." Nick chimed in, giving Jay and Erin a wave as he and Amanda walked passed on their way to the bunks.

Erin was having a hard time leaving her brother in a cold jail cell for the night, which was completely understandable considering the given situation.

"Hey Nick, will you grab my things for me, please." Amanda asked, having stopped a few steps behind him.

"Um, yeah, sure." Nick crinkled his eyebrows, "is everyth-" but before he could finish, Amanda was on her way towards the two Chicago detectives.

Amanda walked over to a troubled Lindsay and took a seat next to her on the bench beside the cell entrances.

"I'll be right back, I need to run something by Sargent Benson real quick," Halstead announced, understanding the two detective's need for a word alone.

"He'll be alright…cold, but alright. At least he's no longer on the streets; and right now, he's probably safer than he has been in quite a while." Amanda said, knowing what Erin was thinking without having to ask; she sat with a little distance between her and Erin, placing her hands in between her knees.

"I know…it's just…_hard._" Erin groaned in her raspy voice, "I feel like I'm doing him more harm than good at this point…bringing up things that he seems to have already moved on from."

"Unfortunately, as I'm sure you know, _just as well as I do_, that those 'things' will never be easy to rehash…but whether you talk about them or not, the memories are still there…just below the surface, hauntin' you every day, and it seems like it only becomes harder to hide as time passes-…" Amanda stopped, noticing Lindsay's gazing directly at her, "I'm sorry, I'm rambling…But what I am trying to say is, none of this is going to be easy, for either of you. He may be lashing out now, but it is only because he is just as confused and shaken as you are. However, _I promise_, no matter how tough the road may be, if you both can follow through with this investigation and get to the bottom of whatever happened to him – and what is still happening – your lives will change…_for the better_."

Through Amanda's entire heartfelt speech, Erin listened with intent, soaking up everything she was saying, but couldn't ignore Amanda's obvious underlying knowledge and sympathy into what she was going through. "You had a pretty rough childhood, didn't you…what happened to you, Amanda?" Erin whispered the last part so lightly, Amanda barely heard her; nonetheless, her statement caught her off guard.

Nick had watched Amanda and Erin's exchange for the past few moments, wanting nothing more than to be a fly on the wall at that second. Even from a distance, he could see the sadness in his lover's eyes, similar to what he observed in Lindsay's. There was an understanding between the two, and Nick was happy Amanda had found someone who shared such a comparable past…someone who she could talk to and who could provide her with supportive replies, rather than his own empty comforts from which he had nothing to compare her feelings to.

"I guess I could ask you the same question… But like I said earlier today, I have a…_troubled_…sister, I've been where you are. But that's a story for another time," Amanda spoke, patting Erin's hand lightly as she saw Nick approaching them.

"You ready," Nick asked with a charming smile, holding Amanda's coat open for her to place her arms into.

"Yeah, thank you." Amanda stepped into the outstretched coat but shot him a glare for the hundredth time today, in an attempt to stop his painfully obvious gestures that could reveal their relationship in front of both the visiting detective and the rest of the station's occupants.

"Amanda and I were going to grab a quick beer from a place down the street, would you and Halstead like to join us?" Nick asked Erin; Amanda did everything she could to hide the horror she was feeling as Nick practically invited the two Chicago detectives on a double date.

Erin wore a knowing smirk and politely declined his offer, asking if she could take a rain-check for once the case had closed.

With that, Nick and Amanda strode out of the SVU area of the station and towards the elevator.

Once inside and the sliding doors came to a close, Amanda turned to Nick, a deep scowl written upon her face; but just before Nick could question her outwardly irritation, she began her rave: "_What the hell was that?_"

"I'm sorry, I'm not following…" And truthfully he wasn't; Nick had noticed Amanda's glares all day, but never gave them much of a thought. It wasn't uncommon, however, as they both tried to keep up their troubled partnership antics up here and there to keep in connection with their charade.

"Come on, Nick, don't play that card," Amanda huffed, "you – in not so many words – just asked our Chicago colleagues if they wanted to join us on a double date. And let's not forget your uncanny ability to put your foot in your mouth, which I discovered this morning! '…if he is still alive…' _Really_, Nick? How long have you worked here? And the whole: 'No, we get it…' in front of Jay. Very smooth, Nick, _very smooth_…"

Much like this morning, Nick couldn't do much more than laugh, and before Amanda could protest, he placed both hands on each side of her face and brought her in for a silencing kiss.

They only pulled away when the ding of the elevator alerted them to their final stop at the ground floor. Amanda took a step apart from Nick, her eyes still glazed from his searing lips, and began to walk through the elevator doors into the lobby of the station, but before she got two feet out of the threshold, Nick grasped her slender wrist and pulled her back to him.

Once Amanda's back was molded to Nick front, he placed both hands on her hips and set his lips directly on her ear, blowing warm air into it before giving a sexy growl, "_I. Don't. Care._" Nick finished with a soft kiss just behind her ear and, at this point, Amanda's knees were about to buckle.

Abruptly, Nick released Amanda and moved to stop the closing elevator doors; after sticking his head out and took a look around the lobby to make sure there were no important wandering eyes located in the area. Once confident the coast was clear, Nick shifted his gaze back to Amanda and held out a hand to her. She reluctantly took it, trusting Nick's judgment in regard to the presence of any significant members of the New York PD. With her hand in his, Amanda began to make her way out of the elevator once again.

As she walked side to side with Nick, he leaned over and whispered to her once again, "I don't care if they know…Jay and Erin won't say anything, especially not with whatever they are doing outside of the office themselves…and besides, a little hint here and there just makes it more exciting…"

Amanda could no longer hide her smirk and let out an uneasy giggle, but she also couldn't deny her agreement to his proposition. With a humph Amanda gave in, "so…is the offer of a late-night beer still on the table?"

* * *

><p><strong>November 9<strong>

This morning had gone significantly smoother than the prior; although both exhausted from their previous night's antics after a few too many beers at the bar, both Nick and Amanda were out of the house and on their way to meet Jocelyn before seven.

They had received a tip from a fellow colleague at the local high school campus as to Jocelyn's whereabouts, her routine rarely changed: a coffee and quick study session at the local Café each morning before arriving to school just before the first bell.

Nick and Amanda watched as Jocelyn arrived at the Café, ordered her coffee and took out her school books then amerced herself in the steaming liquid.

"Alright, I guess now is as good a time as any," Nick announced, killing the ignition and opening the driver side door.

Amanda followed suit, removing her seatbelt and stepping out of the car.

"Hey Nick, she's…_fragile_. Let's go easy on her, okay?" Amanda called, causing Nick to stop and glance back at her.

"As long as she gives us what we need to know," Nick answered, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets and nodding for Amanda to follow.

They were in Pushcart Coffee for less than three minutes before Jocelyn raced out upon realizing Teddy was also a victim of the sex traffic ring. It came as a surprise to both Nick and Amanda that it was not common knowledge between the two that Teddy himself was a casualty as well, which only lead to further questions.

In her hurry out of the café, Jocelyn had successfully flipped a cup of coffee onto the table and left the entire group of occupants staring.

"Well, did you mention the pedophile ring the first time you talked to her?" Nick questioned, leaning his hands onto the table and looking intently at Amanda.

"No. She got arrested at fourteen, for hookin', I'm guessin' we know how she got turned out," Amanda stated, a drop of irritation present in her southern drawl. Giving her hands a shake, Amanda left the table in search for some napkins, leaving Nick at the table to judge the new twist in Teddy fate.

Realizing the way he may have come across, a sense of fault washed over Nick. He was all too aware of how hard it must be for Amanda, and pushing his frustration onto her would only make it harder for the both of them.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Nick regretted, joining her at the drink bar as she toweled off her hands and blotted the small coffee marks on the side of her pants.

His apology made Amanda glance up, "I'm not upset with you, Nick," she voiced as if it was an obvious remark, "it's just the situation…"

Nick didn't have a comforting response or helpful comment to respond with, so rather, he gently rubbed her upper arm, hoping that conveyed his understanding.

"Why don't we stop by your place on the way to the station, you can clean up and I'll brew us some decent coffee before we are stuck with the other crap all day," Nick's attempt at humor failed as Amanda simply nodded and threw the napkin in the trash dispenser.

Before leaving Amanda's apartment for the station, Nick updated Liv regarding the meeting with Jocelyn; upon hearing the news, Liv suggested he and Rollins to head back to the Missing and Exploited Children's center to cross check her in the databases.

Nothing could have prepared Nick and Amanda for the revelation that Teddy and Jocelyn had not met on the streets, but rather during their wretched time in the ring.

"So, who gets to tell Lindsay?" Nick probed absentmindedly. He heard Amanda sigh underneath him as she slowly stood back up from her leaned position over the desk.

"Alright, do me a favor and print that still out for us and link those tapes over to SVU for further examination," Amanda directed towards the impassive computer tech, continuing to stare at the picture on the screen.

After receiving the still Amanda gave a prompt "thank you" and headed out of the room, away from the monitors.

The drive to the station was quiet and Nick couldn't help but notice the way Amanda firmly grasped the picture in her hand, as if it held all the answers. Once Nick put the car in park he turned his gaze directly towards Amanda, who still had her stare directed outside.

"Do you want 'ta talk about i-…" Nick began, putting his hand over hers on the counsel.

"I'll tell her." Amanda interrupted abruptly, not moving her eyes from outside the window.

"Tell who, Amanda?"

"Lindsay, I'll let her know about…_this_," Amanda's gaze now stared down at the picture before her.

This surprised Nick, his comment back at the Children's Center was more of a rhetorical question than an actual inquiry.

"Amanda, I know this is a tough case with all things considered…but I feel like there's something more bothering you."

When he heard Amanda take a sharp breathe, Nick expected some deep revelation to be disclosed, but instead he received a quick "nope" before opening the car door and striding into the station with determination, as if the past twenty minutes never occurred.

* * *

><p>Another eighteen hour day later and Amanda finally was preparing to leave the station for the night. Alone in the bunks, she removed her waist belt and holster before putting her gun on lock and placing it in her locker.<p>

The day's events had taken a toll on Amanda; between Jocelyn's shakedown, Lindsay's injury and the ever-perpetual wrath that was Voight, she was more than ready to call it a night, although she would never admit it.

With cases such as these, Amanda had a hard time leaving work _at work_. She was someone who needed closure – a definitive conclusion to the suffering for both the victim and the detective - and without it, the endless tape of each crime would continue circling throughout her head…the fault, the suspects, the leads, the evidence, the witness testimonies, the beliefs…spinning through her head like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, trying to fit together in a logical, completed picture.

Placing both hands on each side of her opened locker, Amanda hung her head as the details of the case consumed her thoughts.

Of course, she was thankful that Henry had been found; watching Voight and Olivia burst through the Statin Island door then Fin and Nick join them with two other offenders as they walked into the station took an enormous weight off her chest. But there was still an overwhelming sense of dismay as she knew the case was far from closed; the Chest and Checkers Club was still in full swing and the main intelligence had yet to slow down. Another little girl was out there and, in less than twenty-four hours, Amanda was going to have the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing how the sick bastards were going to steal her innocence…unless they did something _fast_.

Liv had since called it a night for the team as she was eager to get home and hug Noah a little tighter tonight. While they were all tired and ready to head home, Voight wasn't so easily convinced. Liv had to practically drag him out of the station, and he only complied when Nick and Jay offered to stay for a little while longer to tie up a few loose ends.

Noticing Amanda had yet to leave, Nick left the table he and Halstead were working at to check on her.

Walking into the bunks, he witnessed Amanda braced against a locker, eyes closed and not moving.

"Amanda?" No answer.

"Amanda…?" Nothing.

Slowly closing the gap between them, Nick placed a gentle hand on Amanda's back, whispering her name once more, "'Manda? Hey…"

With a jolt, Amanda's head jerked up and her glazed eyes bore into Nick's.

"Hey…what's up? Are you okay?" Nick asked with concern, placing his free hand on her cheek as if she was a small child, much like did Zara.

Amanda's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she pushed off the lockers to take one hand and brush Nick's off her face, "I'm fine, just taking a second before I head home," she spoke nonchalantly while going on to gather her things.

Nick wasn't content with her vague brush off, "you look pale, Amanda. Why don't you lie down in here while I finish up a few things and then I'll drive us - …_you? -_ home in a bit."

Amanda gave a small laugh, "I'm fine, Nick. Just tired…" she turned to give his arm a light grasp of reassurance, wanting nothing more than for him to drop the third degree for the day.

Sensing her inner anxiety, Nick took Amanda's arm in return when she released his and gave her a gentle yet stern and knowing glance.

Over the past several months, Nick had picked up on Amanda's attachment to certain cases. He had managed to get her to briefly speak of it, but he often allowed her to drop the conversation when he would sense her grow increasingly uncomfortable. Without words, however, Nick had begun to notice Amanda's tells: light facial expressions or movements that would reveal more than Nick would ever let her know.

With a sigh of defeat, Amanda elaborated, "…glad yet somewhat disappointed …exhausted… disturbed... _Pick one._"

It wasn't exactly the way Nick preferred the conversation – or lack thereof – to go, but it was _something_, something for him to work with.

"I'm here, 'Manda. I've got your back, and I'm going to help you get through this case," although Amanda refused to meet his eyes, he could see her blue eyes grow puffy. "Do you want to tal-…"

Feeling her hands grow tense in his own – another one of her tells – Nick stopped and quickly changed the topic, "_I mean_…do you want Chinese or Italian? I know it's late but I could…"

Nick's rambling ended when he heard a faint chuckle from the blonde in front of him. Rather than a verbal response, Amanda simply shook her head with a smile before Nick returned her grin and took her in a loose embrace.

Both settled in a comfortable silence, the only noise coming from a ticking clock in the corner and faint voices present beyond the bunks.

With arms still locked together and Amanda's head pressed gently against Nick's chest, neither were aware of the footsteps approaching the bunks or the light creaks of the heavy door being opened.

Jay Halstead was not surprised by the closeness of the two SVU detectives – it was no secret that there was something going on between them – but walking in on such a scene caused shock to course through him as he felt as though he intruded on a very private moment.

Realizing neither detective was aware of his presence, Halstead took a step back and decided to tap against the door to alert the two rather than create an uncomfortable experience for both them and him-self.

Halstead took a cautious step back before giving the bunk door a light tap and clearing his throat, "Amaro? Rollins?"

Both Nick and Amanda immediately released each other from their entanglement and began the typical, panicked fidgeting associated with being caught in a compromising situation.

Realizing neither were going to offer much in response to his company, Jay continued, "Hey Amaro, I need you to come look at something."

Amanda had since resumed gathering her things as an occupier and Nick gave her a side glance, "Um, alright…" he nodded with a lack of a better response.

"Should I stay? I still have that government program up on my computer," Amanda suddenly appeared at Nick's side with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"No, no. Go ahead home, we've got it covered for the night."

Amanda nodded, "Hey, is Lindsay okay? She was asleep when I was visiting."

"Headache and a nasty bruise, but yeah, I think she's more frustrated than anything right now. She doesn't take well to orders," Halstead contemplated going with Lindsay back to Chicago, wanting nothing more than to be there for her, but he realized staying in New York to work the case would be more beneficial.

"Sounds like someone on our team," Nick joked and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his trousers as he tried to remain casual.

Amanda only nodded with a small smile, "I'll see y'all in the mornin'."

And with that, Amanda left the two men in the bunks, and Halstead gave Nick a sly grin.

* * *

><p><strong>November 10<strong>

The day started much like any other.

The team gathered in the squad room and began running through the case just as they would on a normal day.

Nick had tried Amanda's cell the night before once he and Halstead left the station, but the phone only rang until it reached voicemail. He could have gone straight home, but after the day they both had, Nick decided he'd rather sleep next to Amanda than alone.

Using the key she had given him a few months after they began seeing each other, Nick found Amanda curled up and fast asleep on her couch when he entered. He smiled at the sight and debated whether to leave her be or bring her to bed; choosing the latter, Nick gave Amanda a rub on the back to wake her then helped her into her room.

Upon waking in the morning, Amanda decided to shower alone to allow Nick another hour of sleep. Before leaving, she woke him and they shared a quick kiss; arriving separately would of course raise fewer questions than together…and the knowing glances and sly smiles upon one of their late arrivals were much more fun, anyways.

The team had received word that Henry was doing relatively well and that his parents had been contacted, which gave the detectives something to smile about as their day was about take a turn for the worst.

When Benson had gotten the call regarding Clinton's untimely demise in the tombs of the prison, she immediately called on Fin and Amanda to head over.

To say Amanda was angry would be an understatement, the idea that a group of trained prison guards left a suspected child molester alone in an open cell with a violent man awaiting trial was too absurd to comprehend. And now, one of their main leads lay dead in a pool of blood with a shiv in his neck.

Amanda's red face and straight glare caught Nick's attention as soon as she and Fin arrived back at SVU. After briefing Liv and Voight, Nick offered to assist Amanda in going through the killer's history and call logs from the previous days.

Once alone, Nick couldn't get much out of Amanda except for a mumbled line of irritated rage laced with a few expletives that brought out her southern drawl.

However, every lead from the killer's call logs and visitors went cold; the only thing Amanda and Nick could get was that the throw away cell used to contact him was sold in Chicago.

Not a minute after Nick and Amanda's update, Lindsay contacted Voight to shares the latest news.

The entire team stands quiet and motionless as they take in the information. Amanda glances back to share a look with Nick while Liv takes Voight into her office.

"Well, that's…something?" Fin comments, leaning back in his desk chair with his hands crossed behind his head.

"Yeah…" Nick gives a sharp intake of breath and walks back to his chair as well.

Deciding it to be an innocent act, Amanda follows and takes a half seat on Nick's desk and crosses her arms in thought, "what do y'all think they're talkin' about?"

"I'll place money on Voight's persistence that we go track down the SOB that killed Clinton if for nothing else than the fun of it, then trying to convince Liv it's a good idea to break down every door in Chicago to find the bastard behind this so he can break the guys face with his bare hands," Fin announces definitively, leaving Nick and Amanda speechless as they stare at him with unblinking eyes.

"Amaro. Rollins." Liv calls from her door, motioning for them to follow her inside.

Fin exchanges a look with both of them and shrugs his shoulders before they disappear into their Sargent's office.

"Yes, Sarg?" Amanda asks, standing behind one of the chairs that face her desk as Nick takes the other.

"You're both coming with me," Voight announces for Benson.

Liv lets out a sigh, "yes, what he said," she emotionlessly voices, clearly tired with Voight's intrusions "I have to stay here with Noah, and I need Fin to hold down the fort in case I end up going as well. Amanda, you've been to Chicago before, Voight tells me he was impressed with your work and, Nick, I trust and expect nothing less of you."

"We leave for the airport at two, I'll need both of you ready by then. I'll brief you further on the flight," Voight had yet to stop pacing the small office space.

"I'll update Fin; you are both free to go," Benson announced just before Voight ushers Nick and Amanda out of the office. "I'll be in contact," Liv calls after them and watches as they gather their things and leave the station.

* * *

><p><em>Please review! Constructive criticism is much appreciated! Thanks :) - JJ<em>


	2. Part No2

Hi guys! I'm sooo sorry this second part took so long! I hadn't even started when I posted the first chap, and this one is 50 PAGES and OVER 21,000 WORDS! I guess I had a lot to say! HAHA :) I found tons of areas in the Chicago PD part of the crossover that I wanted to add Rollaro-ness to so I took advantage since we've been getting like NO NickxAmanda on SVU lately...but I really hope you all enjoy this final chapter! Much love to everyone reading!

* * *

><p>Despite the present situation, both Nick and Amanda were eager to arrive in the Windy City. Nick was charmed by the architecture and pleasant quietness as compared to New York. Amanda enjoyed her first trip to Chicago with Fin but, under the pretenses, she got to see very little of the city.<p>

The regularly two hour flight was extended to a five hour trip due to heavy snow and blistering conditions in Chicago. After three delays and an hour on the plane before takeoff, it was a surprise to everyone that Voight had yet to have a complete raging breakdown.

Voight spent a lot of time on the phone with his Chicago detectives, gathering every piece of information, new lead and speck of evidence they had to offer. After hanging up on one phone call he was immediately on to the next, barking orders into the speaker at the next unfortunate detective. Once off the phone with his team, Voight would eagerly and quite angrily share the news with Nick and Amanda then ask their opinion on the given information.

When their flight ultimately touched down in Chicago, it was well past nine at night. To both of their surprise, Voight offered to drive Nick and Amanda to their designated hotel – but only with the guarantee that the two detectives would thoroughly look over the case sheets and prepare an update briefing for the team, and of course, arrive no later than dawn to the Chicago Intelligence quarters.

Nick and Amanda checked into _two _separate rooms at the hotel but it was unspokenly agree upon that only _one_ of the two rooms would be of use.

Throwing their bags upon the bed, Nick sat down on the edge and rubbed his face with both hands in exasperation. Taking a seat next to him, Amanda gently leaned her weight into his side and rested her head on his shoulder.

Nick followed her action, leaning his own head against the top of hers, "tired?"

"Per usual," Amanda sighed with a dry sense of humor, "not so much physically, though…more emotionally than anythin'."

...

After hours of relentlessly pouring over files from both the Chicago and New York cases, Nick and Amanda finally made their way into bed half past midnight.

The case sheets from either city contained vastly differentiating characteristics; without inside knowledge there would be no way to connect the areas by the case. The videos in question and the sites they're found on are virtually untraceable and nearly impossible to bring down.

Only trained eyes could see the grey in such a black and white page; the case sheets held very little _actual_ information…as they had close to none. The sheets were filled with side notes and vague statements from Teddy and Jocelyn, but as far as true evidence and facts to go on, both were running on fumes.

Of the trivial things Nick and Amanda did notice, however, they managed to connect a few dots and put together a more solid file that would hopefully please Voight and help track down the bastards responsible for the ring.

Content with their work, Nick and Amanda were able to rest a little easier that night…un-expecting of what the next day's events would bring.

* * *

><p>Both Nick and Amanda woke before dawn and got prepared to leave as neither wished to face the wrath of Voight if they were late, sensing it wouldn't be as forgiving as Liv's.<p>

They walked into the Chicago Police Department at 6:30 even, just as the warm Chicago sun was beginning to make its way over the buildings to de-thaw the icy streets. Before even passing the threshold, Nick and Amanda were greeted by a monotonous Voight who looked as though he had not slept but a minute. His appearance was not to be misconstrued though, as he ushered the two up to the second floor and into the Special Intelligence office area without so much as a 'good morning'.

Introductions and greetings were short as Voight quickly began rambling about the case, he soon urged Amanda to the front of the office center to continue briefing his team and inform him of their findings from the previous night.

As Amanda expertly advised the Chicago team and provided them with the updated file, Nick looked around the small lodging area at the faces that surrounded him, trying to quickly recall their names.

He immediately recognizes Halstead and Lindsay and is able to recall the names of Dawson and Olinsky, but he failed to remember the two officers.

Then Nick eyes rest upon the final man on the team.

"_Hey, is that the guy who hit on Rollins in Chicago?" Nick probed with the nod of his head, trying to remain inconspicuous._

"_You heard about that!" Fin chuckled, "…nah, it was some other pretty boy."_

It hit him like a ton of bricks….staring directly at Amanda, with more absorption than necessary, Nick knew he had found Amanda's secret-admirer.

…_some other pretty boy…_

Typical northern guy…light skin, caramel colored hair, morning scruff, casual attire…

If Nick was to be honest, if you were to put darker hair on the man, he reminded him much of Amanda's former flame, Nate.

_Guess she does have a type…_

Shaking his head, Nick returned to Amanda and added a few points as she wrapped up her speech.

Given the basic work-down of the case in front of them, Voight sends the two patrols out with the challenge of tracking down a mysterious man with nothing but a blurry security camera grab.

"Ruzek, Llewellyn himself, where are we at with that?" Voight questions directly at Nick's man of interest.

_Ruzek…_

Upon hearing of ring's financial aider, Voight pairs Ruzek and Nick on the task of checking out the Oak Brooke Senior Center where a large sum of Llewellyn's cash is going each month.

Nick couldn't believe his ears; the chance that he would be sent with Amanda's admirer, to a senior home, nonetheless, was absurd.

Although careful to keep the unamused, yet humored, smirk off of his face, Nick shot Amanda a knowing glance from across the room.

Hearing the steps behind him, Nick turned as an older woman made her way up to the Intelligence Unit with a somber grimace written on her face.

Upon hearing of Chicago's fallen officer, both Nick and Amanda felt the full weight of tracking down the people responsible for the misery that rested on the city.

"Alright guys, head out," Voight directed towards Nick and Ruzek after the Chief had descended the stairs, "Rollins, if you could work with Dawson and Halstead, make sure we're all on the same page with the…_tactics_…SVU prefers to use…"

Amanda had heard about _The Cage_ the last time she was in Chicago; from what Lindsay had offered, it was a place where the law and code of ethics were nothing but a suggestion.

The delicacy that came with being an SVU detective prevented the use of any particularly _off-the-grid_ procedures; the simplest smudge in the book could ruin a case before it stood trial. So the use of a cage where suspects were treated as they deserved to be, seemed oddly intriguing to Amanda.

As the team started to disperse, Voight gave a final cautionary threat: "I want this ring shut down and these bastards in my custody within the next thirty-six hours, no exceptions."

Ruzek began to collect his coat and badge while Nick met Amanda as she walked towards Halstead's desk, "you good?" Nick whispered, placing a discreet hand on the small of her back.

Trying to remain subtle, Amanda gave a soft smile and nodded towards the stairs as a sign for him to go ahead and leave.

...

"It's a beautiful city," Nick tried to break the awkward silence that filled the car as he looked out the window upon the mirage of picturesque buildings, "I've lived in New York my entire life, but this is…different."

"Yeah, it's something," Adam agreed, "but if you think this is nice, you should see the view from out on the lake."

The senior home was located on the northern outskirts of the city; it was a nice, upper-scale area that was only a short distance from the police department, but the tension Nick held made it feel like an eternity. He didn't know if this man had genuine feelings for Amanda – even though they had met only once…as far as Nick was aware – or if it was just an attraction he felt towards her, but his main concern was whether Ruzek planned to act on it.

It was no secret that she had been having a hard time these past few months; every time it seemed as though Amanda was close to picking up the pieces from her last collapse, another wave would crash and knock her back down.

First, it was Kim's untimely intrusion into Amanda's life that almost got her incarcerated for murder; several months later, Nate tore her sense of trust down to the foundation once again, which sent her sparling back into the black hole Amanda knew as gambling. And it was the addiction itself that led Amanda to the underground casino where Murphy picked her up for an undercover operation and almost cost her _everything_. This was all aside from the constant stress at SVU where certain cases seemed to affect Amanda in personal respects, not to mention her close call with Holden just a few weeks prior.

Of course, Nick could make excuses for Amanda's well-being as to why Ruzek perusing her would be detrimental all he wanted, but Nick knew himself well enough to realize that denying his feelings towards the situation between Ruzek and Amanda was pointless.

Was Nick jealous? _Possibly_…

Nick had a problem with those who came between relationships, and it was those situations he most contributed to his stints in anger management. His own perseverance and inner distrust in Maria's fidelity is what ruined his marriage. Although, looking back now, Nick had no doubt the marriage would have ended without intrusion either way.

In no sense of the word were he and Amanda exclusive, there job prevented such a relationship. But, what began as a drunken night of sex turned into a deeper understanding between them. Amanda admitted as much during one of their nights together that she needed someone like Nick, a trusting and honest man who knew how to be a true gentleman. And - oddly enough - Nick needed Amanda, too. She challenged his stubborn, hard-headed opinions and showed him what it was like to stray from the book.

However, Nick came with baggage and it was no secret. Over the past three years he'd struggled through a back and forth relationship with Maria, found out he had a young son, filed for divorce, and lost his daughter…all in front of his team, and especially Amanda.

Looking over, Nick didn't notice a ring or an obvious absence of one on Ruzek's finger. So, this young Chicagoan was single, probably without children, and seemingly amiable - all minus the obvious complexity.

So yes…Nick Amaro felt _slightly_ threatened by this man with a crush on his blonde lover.

And it hurt like Hell to admit it.

"Alright, here it is," Ruzek announced, pulling Nick out of his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Once Nick and Ruzek left Oak Brooke, the case rapidly took a turn for the worst.<p>

After hearing of Margret's untimely death, Voight ordered Dawson and Halstead to continue working with the CSI while the rest of the team was to head into the vaults of the Children's Center and dig up everything they could on Margret's work.

"How was it?" Amanda glanced up at Nick who had just arrived back from his trip with Ruzek.

Nick only shrugged and bent over the desk Amanda was seated, using his palms atop the desk to keep him upright. "How'd it go here?" he pondered quietly.

Amanda gave a slight chuckle and gazed up at him through her lashes, "it's clear ta' say we do things a bit differently in New York."

"You two ready?" Nick shot up from his position near Amanda and nodded towards a suspicious Olinsky as the team headed out the door.

Standing up, Amanda made her way around Nick and shot him a smirk as she passed by.

...

"What are you guys doing at SVU working these kinds of cases every day?" Ruzek pondered, browsing through all the files the Child Services had to offer.

From the corner of his eye, Nick could see Amanda clutch the folder she was holding a little tighter. Per usual, Nick didn't know _exactly_ why – although he had ideas – the topic of her past, which interwove with her becoming a detective, made her so uncomfortable.

Feeling his eyes on her, Amanda gave Nick a painful stare before she backed up and joined Lindsay near another file cabinet. While she trailed behind him for a few moments, Nick reached out a hand and gave Amanda's a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, there's this old saying: _Carve your Successes in Stone and Write your Failures in the Sand…_" Nick recited, going back to his files, "you just have to remember the ones you saved."

"I'll remember that one," Ruzek said under his breath.

...

Upon finding the reports of Teddy's time in foster care with Sam and Jill Whiting and the files of their current foster children, Amy Klinpass and Chris Sebeka, Erin urged Amanda to join her in paying the family a visit.

"Yeah, let's do it," Amanda distantly agreed as she continued to scan the case sheets for further insight into Amy's history. Hardly waiting for Amanda's reply, Lindsay headed towards the exit of the Children's Center in trek of the car.

Nick walked over to Amanda and picked up Chris's file that Lindsay had hastily discarded before leaving. After taking a quick peek his folder's contents, Nick took a place behind Amanda and began reading over her shoulder with scrunched eyes at the older girl's sheets.

With a sigh, Amanda closed the file and handed it back to Nick, "let me know if y'all find anything?" she decreed with question.

"You got it," Ruzek replied from his place near the other file cabinets across the room, although Amanda's request was not directed at him.

Nick couldn't deny this simple comment from Ruzek further irked him, but he also couldn't ignore the knotted feeling in his stomach that was similar to the one he felt as he and Amanda charged into the school in search of Holden those several weeks ago.

As Amanda began to walk away, Nick took a quick step forward and grasped her wrist to stop her. "Hey," he quipped as she jerked back to look at him, "be careful, 'kay?"

Amanda only gave a small nod as she felt the Chicago detectives' eyes on the two of them, but upon seeing the true concern in Nick's eyes, she followed with a small smile of reassurance.

After releasing her wrist, Nick gave a sigh as he watched Amanda walk out of the file room in search of Lindsay.

Although they had an abundance of humorous comments they yearned to utter at Nick's expense, the Chicago detectives remained silent and continued rummaging through the files.

* * *

><p>Once Lindsay had received the Whiting's address from Nadia at the Intelligence Headquarters, she and Amanda were on their way to the family's residence.<p>

The ride was rather quiet, filled with simple small talk about differences between the Big Apple and the Windy City. Neither felt the desire to speak of their similarly troubled pasts at the time, as the case weighed heavy on their minds.

Upon arriving, Erin and Amanda were quick to exit the car and make their way up to the main door. "Have ya heard from Teddy?" Amanda questioned when she noticed Lindsay wearily checking her phone.

"He's not a player in the pedophile ring, he's a victim…that's all..." Erin rasped definitively.

Her comment and tone took Amanda aback; she hadn't meant to offend Erin or even accuse her brother of any wrong doing, but given the present situation Amanda could understand her defensiveness. "I didn't say he did…"

Lindsay remained quiet as she continued up the stairs and gave a few taps on the door, "You're right, I'm sorry…I'm just trying to keep my head on straight…"

"Hey, I get it. Ya don't need to justify yourself to me," Amanda offered while leaning against the stoop railing, "but, hey, lean on me…or lean on your team…"

The unlatching of the heavy door alerted the two detectives to Sam Whiting's presence. While Lindsay introduced herself, Amanda answered the buzzing phone in her back pocket.

"Rollins," Amanda answered as she was surprised to see Ruzek's name flash on her screen rather than Nick's.

"Amanda, hey, the guys have been going further into the Whiting's history and we thought it would be important to note that the wife, Jill, passed away nine years ago…Sam is a widow…"

"Just when it looks like this case is starting to piece together, things only seem to get more complicated," Amanda mumbled with frustration more to herself than Ruzek on the other end of the call. She heard him give a quiet laugh of agreement before she thanked him made her way back to the top of the steps.

"Hey, that was Ruzek," Amanda mentioned just as Mr. Whiting stepped back inside the house, "Jill Whiting is dead, she passed away nine years ago."

"If his wife is dead, then why is Jill still listed as a foster parent in Amy and Chris's files?" A sudden understanding of the situation at hand washed over Erin; Amanda nodded at the door and Lindsay gave the threshold a slight push, "Sam?...Sam?"

With no reply, Amanda and Erin reached for their guns and began compassing the home. After clearing the first floor and searching the front bedrooms on the second floor, Amanda gave the signal for Erin to open the final door where they were met with an unstable Sam holding a gun to his head.

It only took but a second for Amanda to fall back to those weeks ago during her time in the classroom with Holden, the emotions of horror and uncertainty followed with a flood of appall at the similarity between the two instances.

All Amanda could do was watch as Lindsay attempted to talk Sam into putting the gun down and helping them find his two foster children, promising him understanding and fairness. The only thing Amanda could offer was a weak, "listen to her, Sam. Give us the gun…you can turn this around, help us find Chris and Amy…" However, her words were in vain as just seconds later they both watched as he placed the gun inside his mouth and pulled the trigger.

With mouths wide open, Amanda and Lindsay were frozen in shock.

_Was it her fault? If she had offered more could she have prevented another casualty in this horror story?_ _Was Sam the key to this entire case? Could he have held the answers that would prevent further trauma?_ Now zero for two in her negotiations over the past several weeks, these were the only thoughts running through Amanda's head. Of course – _rationally_ – she could provide the answer to all of these questions, but with having just witnessed her second suicide in which she held a fair hand in how in played out, not much could be rationale.

Lindsay calling in the situation to headquarters pulled Amanda out of her daze, "Amanda? Hey Amanda - come on, let's get outta here."

Amanda dropped the upheld position of her gun with a sigh of defeat and headed out of the room, "hey, you alright?" Lindsay called after her as Amanda made her way down the stairs.

"I…yeah…I just need some air," Amanda stopped at the bottom of the staircases and glanced back at Erin near the top, tears prickling in her eyes.

The local deputies and investigators arrived just as Amanda stepped out of the house, sirens and all; no one paid her much mind as she bee-lined towards Erin's car and leaned her back against it. She wanted to call Nick, hear his warm voice and comforting words; but Amanda Rollins was an independent woman with self-control.

"Amanda?" Pulled out of her trance, Amanda pushed herself off the car and took a few deep breaths before meeting Erin's eyes.

"Sorry, 'bout that…up there."

"Not a problem, no need to apologize," Erin rasped and took a place next to Amanda on the car, "…bad experience?"

Amanda gave a sarcastic laugh, "somethin' like that…"

* * *

><p>Voight was held up in his office while the rest of the team was trying to fit together the pieces of the recent revelations. They had yet to hear anything from either Erin or Amanda as to the status of the Whiting residence.<p>

Dawson and Halstead had since left the late Mrs. Hughes apartment and returned to the department to brief the rest of the team on the newest updates of the case. Not much more information was gathered from the Children's Center after Erin and Amanda left, so the detectives were now at Intelligence Headquarters digging into Amy and Chris's history.

Nick couldn't deny his worry over Amanda's lack of communication; SVU detectives always made it top priority to remain in contact with one another, and it wasn't like her to go so long without a call or text message.

Just then, Voight storms out of his office and walks over to the case board, demanding the attention of the team. "I just got off the phone with Lindsay…Whiting's dead." With his deep rasp and forceful stance, "She and Detective Rollins entered the residence to find Sam Whiting in the back bedroom with a gun to his hand…negotiation went south and he took his own life – shot to the back of his throat."

Nick was visibly shaken, "_Jesus_…" he grumbled, placing his head in his hands and rubbing his face, "were they in the room? … Did she say anything about Amanda?" Nick stood from his seat and wriggled his hands in anxiety, suddenly becoming aware of the several pairs of curious eyes on him.

"Lindsay mentioned that they were both pretty shaken…but not specifically Amanda…" Voight addressed him carefully.

Realizing the need for an explanation – _excuse_ – as to his worry over his partner, Nick let out a huff and recalled the Holden Manifesto case: "A few weeks ago, a case came into SVU regarding a teenage boy who assaulted, raped and/or killed young women. It got to be a pretty awful series of events that ended with him murdering his middle school teacher's husband and holding five schoolgirls hostage when he got wind of the police outside. Amanda and I rushed in there and ended up hostages as well. The boy, Holden, took a _liking_ to Amanda, so she used it to her advantage and was able to persuade him to let the girls go, but I had to leave as well. It killed me to leave her in there, unarmed and with an unstable rapist, but he wanted to be _alone_ with her…

"Anyways, the snipers ended up getting him before Amanda could disarm him, although she was – _and still is_ – convinced that if she had just another minute with him, she could have gotten him out of there…_alive_. When I rushed in there, she was on her knees with blood all over her…it took her a while to get over it."

The room remained silent as the team was unsure of a reasonable response.

"She's had a rough several months…and this was just something she really didn't need," Nick once again felt heavy eyes on him and realized the last statement probably didn't help his cause, "Are they on their way back here?"

"No, they're staying at the scene to help lead the investigators," Voight took a seat on the desk next to Nick, "but, time is wasting…where are we with the books, Halstead?"

...

"Here we go," Dawson emerged from the back room, phone in hand, "that was Burgess, she and Roman ID'd the shooter from the hospital. Targets name is Todd Ledbetter; I read his sheet and he's got a boat-load of violent crimes, there's an active warrant for his arrest for the violation to register as a sex offender."

An absolute sense of relief washed over the room as the guys were more than ready for what could be the most prevalent break in the case thus far; but rather than liberation for Voight, he was hit with a sudden rush of determination.

Upon taking note of the location and further details, Nick watched as each of the Chicago detectives took their turn closing down their station and eagerly collect their guns from their desk drawers.

"Alright guys, gear up," Voight announced before making his way back to his office, "and let's catch this bastard."

...

The Chicago detectives took Nick down to the barracks where they all separated and began opening various storage units where, much to his surprise, the guns weren't simply pistols and vests, but included machine guns and tactical weaponry. One by one, each detective strapped on their vest and started taking out series of weaponry that they attached to different areas of their suit.

Noticing Amaro's lack of preparedness, Olinsky gave a short chuckle and held out an extra pistol for him to strap around his ankle, "feel free to take whatever you like," he mentioned after watching Nick pull up his pant leg and attach the gun to a strap just above his ankle, then motioned to the unit behind him.

"Um…no thanks, I'll stick with my pistol," Nick graced with a smile, but noticed a few odd side glances, "back at SVU, they prefer we work with the basics. We try to prevent using any rounds if at all possible, considering the work we do with victims – particularly females and children…most of the time we work with our hands."

Ruzek laughed from across the room, "badass!"

"Something like that," Nick whispered but couldn't refrain from staring at the batons Atwater was pulling out of another unit, "so…out of curiosity, how did you guys manage to get your hands on all these?" He questioned, gesturing to what appeared to be a low-grade AK47 that Dawson was loading up.

"Voight has _connections_…"

...

The guys arrived in two vehicles to the provided address and wasted no time perusing the home. Within moments, the men spotted their suspected shooter fleeing the scene from atop the roof and taking off by foot into the conjoining ally. Wordlessly, it was agreed upon that Ruzek, Halstead and Amaro would all take the pursuit while Dawson, Olinsky and Atwater observed the residence.

Halstead and Nick were breaching the east side of the home and were the first to spot Ledbetter upon the roof, Ruzek caught sight seconds later but ended up trailing. It wasn't until both Halstead and Amaro noticed a lapse in Ledbetter's judgment did Nick break from Jay and take a separate path in hopes of cornering him. Plans went array, however, when they reached a dead end and Ledbetter took a fire-escape up to another roof; Ruzek managed to catch up with Jay but Nick already knew they had run out of luck.

Just as Nick came upon the alleyway in which Ledbetter was now hanging above, Voight drove up behind him in his blacked-out SUV.

So many things were running through Nick's head…some screaming for him to do something to prevent this man from falling to his death and others – equally as loud – yelling that it was too late, Ledbetter's fate had caught up to him. Opening and closing his mouth, Nick tried to decide whether asking Voight of their options or even yelling up to Ruzek and Halstead would be of use. Yet, his deliberations and final steps in absent possibility to catch the suspect were all in vain, as Nick watched as Ledbetter's fingers slip from the concrete and follow with his untimely fall to death.

Never will Nick be able to erase the screams or sound of the ultimate blow Ledbetter's body made on the concrete…he knew that for sure.

Without the blink of an eye or extra thought the dead suspect's way, Voight pulls his cell out of his back pocket and messages for the rest of his team to enter the household. Signaling with his arm for Ruzek and Halstead to exit the rooftop, Voight then turns and walks back toward his car.

"Ummm…isn't there someone to call?" Nick spoke with deep breathing from his chase throughout the neighborhood, "I mean, shouldn't we do something?"

Voight turned around, receiving a hostile impression from the SVU detective as his eyebrows knitted together and held either side of his vest collar.

"I've already made a call to our force, and they're sending a squad as we speak."

"What do you mean you _already_ called?" Nick accused, "You knew how it was going to end…you knew he wouldn't make it into custody.

"Detective Amaro, Todd Ledbetter's luck ran out the second we got our hands on the hospital security footage," Voight took a step towards Nick and pointed at the body with an angry finger, "he's was a dead man walking."

For that, Nick didn't have a response. For the number of days Nick had known Voight, it'd been clear he wasn't someone who should be underestimated; one who does wrong by Voight will face the full extent of the law, and beyond.

"We can't just leave a dead man in the middle of an alley," Nick's voice became stronger with each word, shocked at how a superior could watch a suspect fall to their death but do nothing more than stand and stare.

Nick didn't receive a response before Halstead and Ruzek arrived; they both looked between their Chicago sergeant and the visiting New York detective, sensing the tension.

Voight continued to look at Nick, knowing he expected an answer but instead addresses Ruzek and Halstead, "I contacted Lindsay a few minutes ago, she and Rollins are on their way to the residence to assist the guys in breeching the home. Let's head back to the station and rework the board, we're going to need a new strategy." With a final look from the body to Nick, Voight gives a definitive turn and enters the SUV.

...

After aiding the Crime Scene Investigators in their examination of Sam Whiting's death, Lindsay received a tense call from Voight urging her and Rollins to meet Dawson, Atwater and Olinsky at the suspected residence to help in searching the home for Amy and Chris.

Amanda was happy to finally leave the Whiting house and let the image of Sam's suicide wash from her mind.

Before entering the car, Lindsay popped the trunk and called Amanda over to the rear of the car.

"Here," Lindsay handed Amanda a police vest and put one on herself before using a key to unlock a large metal box near the back of the trunk. Once open, Amanda studied the various guns that were located in the ominous looking safe.

The look of stun and confusion from Amanda gave Lindsay a chuckle, "don't ask."

She pulled out a small handgun, similar to the one she was already equipped with and strapped it around her ankle. Amanda politely declined when Lindsay offered her a gun as well, "I'm good."

"Alight, let's go."

The ride to the residence was short but provided enough time for Erin to brief Amanda on the latest update Voight provided her – including the details of Ledbetter's fall.

"All Voight said was that 'his luck ran out'," Lindsay informed with a slow shake of her head.

"He…I mean…he fell? …like off the roof?"

"I guess he gave Halstead, Ruzek and _your partner_ quite the chase…he made his way onto a series of rooftops along an alleyway but he missed a jump and ended up losing grip – a few seconds later and he…ya know…" Erin was now fidgeting her hands along the steering wheel, unsure of what to make of the situation, "I just can't believe he slipped through our fingers like that…what could've been our biggest break - _gone_."

"My partner?" Amanda questioned, missing the rest of what Erin said after the mention of Nick, "Nick was there? I mean…did he…like…see?"

Lindsay smiled internally at Amanda's curiosity over Nick's welfare, "See Ledbetter fall? …I would suppose, yeah."

Amanda took a breath, unable to imagine what it had to be like for Nick to watch the prime suspect in the investigation fall to his death.

Should she call him?

Pry Erin for further information she may have to give?

"Alright, here we go." Lindsay cut the engine and touched her gun before turning to face Amanda, "Dawson will take the lead – he's got the big guns – we'll trail and Atwater will back us up with the tools, Olinsky will cover the outside of the house, m'kay?"

"Got it."

And with that Lindsay and Rollins rushed out of the car and made their way up to the front stoop of the residence. The team made a quick sweep of the lower level then took to the stairs; wasting no time, Dawson gave the first and second bedrooms a quick pass and motioned to the third chained doorway. Lindsay remained behind Amanda as a backup after she assisted Dawson in the check of the first room. Once he spotted the padlocked door at the end of the hall, Dawson gave Amanda and Atwater the signal to bring out the baton.

"Chicago PD anybody in there?" Atwater boomed while holding the baton ready to strike.

"Help!" A long shriek came from within the locked barriers of the threshold.

"Hit it!" Dawson called out, and without a second thought, Atwater brought the baton behind his head and gave a lock a solid blow that tore through the metal.

Dawson entered the room first and trailed to the left while Amanda flanked and took the right.

It was Amanda who got eyes on the young girl first, "Amy?"

The girl gave a small nod, looking smaller and frailer by the second as she eyed the gun in Amanda's hand. Before bending next to Amy, Amanda fastened her pistol on her hip and spoke gently, "Okay…darlin', listen you're gonna be alright, okay? …it's okay…"

Lindsay was now squatting on the opposite side of Amy from Amanda, trying desperately to make herself the least threatening possible. Noticing the ties behind Amy's back, she calls to Atwater for a box cutter and continues her attention on the young girl.

"Hey, we're gonna get these off of you, okay?" Lindsay whispered gently, giving Amy's leg a rub on affection.

Once Amy was free of her restraints she embraced Lindsay in a tight hug, bringing a sigh of relief from everyone in the room. Although the young girl made it clear she had no idea as to where her foster brother was taken, it was comforting to know at least one of the children would be sleeping safely and without hunger that night.

Dawson had since made his way out of the room to contact Voight with perhaps the only good news he was going to receive that day while Atwater gave the home a final sweep in hope of finding something – _anything_ – that would help connect the dots between the three obscure cases and ultimately save Chris's life.

Amy had since let go of Lindsay's neck which gave her the chance to finally take a good look at the frail girl, "hey…are you hurt?" she questioned, rubbing her thumb over Amy's tear-soaking cheek, "did they do anything to hurt you?"

Amy simply shook her head in denial.

"Okay…Amy, my name is Erin," Lindsay placed a hand on her chest then looked to Amanda standing next to her, "and this is my friend Amanda, she's a cop, too."

Amanda gave a smile and squatted down next to the girl once again and rubbed her upper arm.

Noticing the girl's shivers and dangerously lean body, Amanda looked over to Erin with sad eyes before returning her blues to Amy's big browns. "Hey Amy, how would you like to come with us to the police station…huh? We can get you something to eat…do you like pizza? I heard Chicago makes it best!"

Again, Amy's only response was a slight nod but both detectives could see the glimmer of happiness in her eyes.

Amanda sighed with relief, eager to remove Amy from the home.

"Okay, good." Erin returned to her feet and Amanda followed but leaned in next to her, "should we call a bus? Get her checked out?" she rasped in a quiet voice.

Amanda seemed to think over Erin's suggestion, "nah, let's just get her outta here and take her back to the station – get some food in 'er – then we can revisit the thought tonight if she's still not look'n too good."

It was Erin's turn to nod in agreement, "okay."

Amanda's eyes returned to Amy and noticed how she had become gazed, "come here, hun."

Amy snapped back and simply stared between Amanda and Erin. Taking a step forward Amanda held out her hands and picked up the frail girl into her arms. Relaxing into Amanda's embrace, Amy closed her eyes and rested her head upon Amanda's shoulder.

Amanda trailed Erin with Amy in her arms as they descended the staircase and exited the home. It was apparent that Dawson had called for backup as officers began to swarm the outside of the residence.

"I got them to finish casing the house; Atwater found some guns in a drawer and we figure there's got to be something more in that house if the guys happened to leave such a big trace behind." Dawson stated as he walked towards the two detectives, "and Voight wants us back at the station…"

"She's shivering," Amanda spoke as she hugged Amy a little tighter, "I'm gonna get her in the car."

Erin nodded and tossed the keys to Atwater so he could help Amanda with the girl.

"How is she?" Dawson pondered as his gaze followed Amy to the car.

Lindsay took a deep breath, "not sure yet…she's pretty guarded – which is to be expected, of course."

Atwater had unlocked the car for Amanda but gone back to the SUV to retrieve one of the several blankets the force kept with them for times like these.

At the car, Amanda gave Amy's back a final rub before bending at the waist to lean into the rear of the vehicle. However, just as Amanda tried to release the girl from her grip and place her on the seat, Amy latched on tighter, refusing to be separated from human contact.

"Please," the first words Amanda had witnessed Amy speak since her plea to Erin regarding her foster brother's safety were like music to her ears.

"Shhh…" Amanda comforted once she stood back up and stepped away from the car; Atwater returned from the SUV with a dark, wool blanket in hand. He gave Amanda a soft smile as he shook the blanket open from its folded position and gently placed it around the girl in her arms, giving it a tuck to make sure it was secure around Amy.

"You ready?" Erin came from behind Amanda and looked to Amy; Amanda gave a nod and took the passenger seat with the fragile girl still snuggled in her arms.

Atwater closed the door once Amanda was in and leaned through the open window, "we'll be right behind you…just got to check in with a few officers."

Erin started up the engine, "alright, I'll let Voight know."

...

Within minutes, Lindsay had pulled into the Chicago PD and was making her way up the stairs to Intelligence Headquarters with Amanda – and Amy – in tow.

Amanda tried to contain her joy over finally reuniting with Nick, felling like a lust-filled teenager; however, she couldn't deny her eagerness to share the day's tumultuous events with him and relax in his presence.

The guys were each seated at their designated desks, all working diligently on their assigned tasks from Voight as they waited for the rest of the team to return. Having no personal desk, Nick was seated near the board, looking distraught as he studied the faces pasted to the surface.

"Hey guys," Lindsay greets softly as they climbed the final stairs to the second floor. All look up and even Voight emerges from his office before Erin and Amanda reach the upper landing.

Nick is immediately on his feet and making his way towards Amanda, studying the girl cuddled in her arms.

"Y'all, this is Amy…" Amanda spoke, trying to get Amy to retract her head from the crook of her neck and make an appearance, "she's had a rough few days."

A silence fell upon the office, none sure of an appropriate response.

"Nadia, why don't you show Amanda and Amy to the break room…see if you can find her something to eat?" Voight suggested, "I need to run a few things by the team."

"Of course," Nadia obeyed shyly, standing from her desk and looking to Amanda.

"I'll come see you in a few minutes, okay Amy?" Erin placed a hand on Amy's back and gave her a smile before Amanda took a step forward to follow Nadia. Nick couldn't tear his eyes off of Amanda as she walked directly past him and into the hallway.

In the break room, Amy finally allowed Amanda to set her down on a chair that surrounded a large eating table.

Squatting down in front of Amy, Amanda pulled the thick blanket tighter around the girl and gave her a comforting smile.

"We don't have much here, sweetheart," Nadia apologized from the barren pantry, "how about…Cheerios?"

Amy nodded and gave a whisper, "yeah."

Nadia turned to Amanda who gave a smile of approval, "that'll work."

The sky had since turned from dusk to dark, casting exhaustion to extend throughout the office. The day's events had taken a toll on the entire team although they were hardly closer to closing the case that night than they were earlier that morning.

Dawson, Atwater and Olinsky had since arrived back at the station and Voight had taken several minutes to update the entire team – excluding Amanda – on the events from the day. Chris and Amy's photos were added to the board as a large red 'X' was drawn through Whiting and Ledbetter's face to signal their departure.

Dawson gave further news on the status of the run-down residence and provided his personal beliefs as to who was overall going to turn out guilty. The team followed by giving their two-cents and put heads together on further action they could take.

Voight took an exaggerated breath, "Alright, Dawson – keep me updated on the status of that house, Atwater – contact Burgess and Roman to see what they've got, Olinsky – go into the forensics and check out the ballistics used by those bastards, Ruzek and Halstead – just give me _something_, and Lindsay – "

"Teddy's here…" Lindsay interrupted seeming flustered, "he messaged me today…told me his flight landed. He's staying at a local motel, he's meeting me and my mom for breakfast tomorrow morning…"

This took Voight aback, "Okay…good. Come see me. And Amaro – do me a favor and go update Rollins then I need to speak with the two of you."

Nick nodded and didn't wait for further instruction as he was eager to finally speak with Amanda.

Walking into the break room, Nick immediately noticed Amanda seated at the table with her back to him; she was oblivious to his presence as she was next to Amy and rubbing small circles on her back through the blanket that was draped over her shoulders.

"Okay…well, who's you're favorite Princess?" Nick overheard Amanda whisper to Amy as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Pocahontas, huh?" Nick never heard Amy reply but Amanda's soft laughed response gave him the answer, "my favorite? …Cinderella, definitely."

"Why? Well, I'm blonde…" Amanda chuckled and ran a finger through her hair, "and when I was a little girl I never got to see my daddy much - he was always gone - and my mommy was very strict…she made me do a lot of chores."

Nick noticed how Amanda's demeanor changed when she talked about her childhood, although she _tried_ to keep a smiling face.

"…and I guess I felt like Cinderella sometimes…" Amanda's smile grew to reassure Amy after the gloomy turn, "_and_ I wanted my Prince Charming to come find me…"

Amanda gave a genuine laugh that even Amy seemed to join into as well; Nick decided this was as good a time as any to make himself known, "my favorite Princess would _have_ to be Belle."

Both heads turned around quickly at Nick's presence, earning a wide smile from Amanda, "oh really?"

Nick took the seat on the other side of Amy, scooting it over to them, "definitely, she's so brave and – I mean – she turned the Beast back into a human. That's so cool!" Nick exclaimed with excitement for Amy, earning an equally amused smile from her.

"Amy, honey…this is my partner, Nick," Amanda introduced once the laughter died down, "I work with him in New York…_he's very nice_."

After giving Amy a sweet smile, Nick caught Amanda staring and locked eyes with her.

_Very nice…_

"He's funny, too," Amy spoke softly, catching the attention of both Nick and Amanda and causing their eyes to quickly divert back down to her.

Amy's comment earned a chuckle from both detectives in agreement.

"Nick, Amanda," Erin entered the room, calling their names softly and giving Amy a smile, "Voight would like to see you guys in his office."

...

"Sir, you needed to see us," Amanda greeted upon entering Voight's office.

"Yes, both of you come in and have a seat."

After exchanging cautious glances, both Nick and Amanda took the two seats in front of Voight, unsure of what to expect.

"It's been a long day guys," Voight rasped in his low tone, "how do you guys think this is going?"

Both New York were taken aback by Voight's desire for their insight, surprised a high ranked superior would look for their opinion on such a case.

"Well, this is a tough case," Nick started, somewhat unsure of how to precede, "complex, would be a better description. Cases like these – ones with several levels of power and a seemingly endless list of suspects – we find are easier to tackle by focusing on one area at a time…dig into specific leads, pull out every detail from one then moving on throughout rather than trying to make sense of what's on the board out there…because you won't. This it's not a black and white case, we need to start reading between the lines and looking at the shades of grey."

Silence feel upon the room as Voight seemed to take in Nick's words, processing them as he stared out at his team through his half-drawn blinds.

"Rollins…" Voight started, continuing his gaze through the window, "you've spent a good amount of time with Amy, she seemed to really latch on to you and Erin…have you been able to get anything from her?"

Nervous that he was addressing her directly, Amanda sat up a little straighter in the chair before replying, "No, sir…Erin quickly asked Amy if she knew where her foster brother, Chris Sebeka, was but she hadn't any idea. All she said was that two days ago the '_men'_ brought 'er to the house, tied 'er up, and took Chris with 'em. I have yet to try to prod her any further, it was just a few minutes ago that I started to get 'er ta talk. I don't want – and don't think we should – push her too far…she's had it rough."

"We need _something_, Rollins." Voight broke his gaze from the window and bore his eyes into her, his tone loud and anything but friendly.

Amanda could see Nick fidget next to her, ready to confront the superior, but Amanda put her hand out as a signal to relax.

"Yes, sir, I understand that…but I don't think interrogating a seven year old girl, who has obviously been through hell, will do _anyone_ any good. She's young and fragile, and – from experience with past cases – there's a slim chance she can provides with any information we don't already know or that will be of value, anyways." Amanda's voice became stronger with each word, shocked at what Voight was indirectly suggesting, "And, with all due respect, sir, Amy is a victim, too…and we don't treat victims like suspects."

Shocked by her own words, Amanda took a deep breath and sat back down in the chair she had begun to rise from during her rant.

Voight said nothing, his eyes never wavered from Amanda and she began to feel extreme small under the weight of his glare. "Children subconsciously block out past, particularly sickening, events as a coping mechanism...Amy has most likely erased any traumatic event she faced while in the Whiting home, and tryin' to bring out those memories could cause 'er even more emotional damage than she's already suffered."

Again, Voight simply stared as though looking _through_ Amanda, "So…what do you suggest we do, Detective?" he spoke smugly.

"What my partner mentioned would be our best option…" Amanda tried, still weak under his eyes and looked to Nick for support to find some strength, "after we leavin' the house this afternoon, Lindsay told me that Teddy had landed in Chicago…I think waiting to see what he has to say tomorrow would be of great help. Teddy provided us with very helpful information when he was with us in New York and I believe talkin' to Erin and his mother, without being at a Police Station, will perhaps lower his guard. I would suggest showing him our board, updating him about the case and allowin' for him to take part…maybe something we say or certain details will trigger a recollection. It's a gentle way to collect the most information from a victim…"

Voight seemed amused by Amanda's response, but she was unknowing as to his exact thoughts.

"What did you study?" Voight asked suddenly; Amanda's brows knotted in confusion.

"In college…"

"I majored in Forensic Psychology…and minored in Victim Studies," Amanda was unsure as to this information's relevance.

Voight stood and braced his hands on his desk, "you're smart, Detective."

Although it seemed quite sarcastic, something about his tone made Amanda believe he meant it. "Thank you, sir."

Voight nodded, "I appreciate your input, Detectives. I'm going to go ahead and call it a night, we've examined every option we can for the day…there's not much we can do at this point," he stood and walked to the door opening it as a signal for them to exit, "I'll see you both bright and early…"

* * *

><p>While Nick collected their belongings strung throughout the office, Amanda checked in with Lindsay and Amy to assure the young girl would be taken care of for the night.<p>

The drive to their hotel was quiet, although both were eager to reconcile. Of course, Amanda returned to the station over an hour ago and Nick was relieved to see her seemingly level-headed, but thier preoccupancy with Amy then the talk with Voight had successfully prevented any real contact.

It wasn't until Nick and Amanda arrived to their now _shared_ room and closed the door did he take her into a warm embrace. Amanda had both arms wrapped securely around Nick's shoulders and sank further into his arms as she buried her face in his neck, breathing in his scent of cologne and musk that she had become accustomed to over the past several months.

Neither said anything as they knew words weren't needed. The feeling that came with each other's presence was enough to comfort them both.

It wasn't until several minutes later did Nick take a deep breath and retract from Amanda, only to take her face in his hands a moment later.

"Voight told me about Sam Whiting and how you were…" Nick started but quieted when he saw the pained expression written on Amanda's face, "I'm sorry – I was just…are you okay?"

Amanda couldn't find the right words to say, so rather than say anything at all she pressed her lips to Nick's. It was a gentle kiss of passion and comfort, not like their usual lust filled ones that screamed of desire and need.

It started slow and Amanda's sudden action initially caught Nick off guard, but he welcomed the kiss nonetheless. He kept his hands on either side of Amanda's face while she took a firm grip onto his dress shirt, pulling Nick in as close as possible in need of feeling his body against hers.

The kiss became heated as their desire grew and both willingly opened their mouths to heighten the intensity but allowed each other to keep equal dominance.

...

It wasn't until both were bated and out of breath did they pull away from the kiss.

"I missed you, today…" Nick whispered sincerely, keeping her face in his hands.

Amanda gazed up at him through squinted eyes, registering what he just said; but eventually – unable to keep stone-faced – she burst out laughing at his words, "you are so cheesy!"

Nick didn't understand her humor for a moment, but her fit of giggles became contagious and he couldn't help but join in on her minute of careless joy.

The laughter died down and Amanda took a small step forward to place her head gently upon Nick's chest. He greeted her with open arms and placed one hand over her head while the other wrapped around her petite waist.

...

After undressing from their work clothes and crawling into bed, their comforts continued…kisses were exchanged but their actions went no further as their proximity and comfort was enough to satisfy their needs.

"I know that ya saw Ledbetter fall from the roof…" Amanda confirmed out of the blue, catching Nick by surprise.

She heard him take a sharp intake of breath, "yep."

"I'm sorry you had to…ya know…watch that…" Amanda whispered into his chest, moving her face from his skin to peer up at him through her lashes.

"Me too," Nick picked his head up from the pillow to make eye contact with her, "but, although I hate to say it, the guy didn't deserve any better than what he got…he was a scumbag…I just wish we could have got something out of him first."

Amanda could sense the grit in his tone, "do you wanna talk about it?"

His crumbled eyebrows signaled to Amanda that Nick wasn't following, or was simply deciding to play dumb, "I can tell there's something more on your mind…tell me."

Amanda rested her head on Nick's chest once again until he decided to talk.

"Honestly, there wasn't much we could have done differently. Ledbetter ran off and we did the best we could to stop him…but there was no way he was going down without a fight, so he chanced a risky jump and didn't make it," Nick stopped as he carefully decided upon his next words, "it's what happened after Ledbetter's death that got me…Voight took one look then turned his back and walked away. He was a vile man, sure, but the way Voight handled it…

"He called forces while we were still tracking the guy down, he told me that 'Ledbetter's luck ran out'…he never expected the guy to live and it's just…I don't know, Amanda."

Amanda adjusted her position and propped herself up on her elbow to fully look at Nick, "they do things differently here…Voight particularly is tough, he's a no bullshit kinda guy and with that being said, I think he means well."

Both let the conversation fall as neither wished to push the topic farther. The silence was comfortable, but Amanda noticed as Nick would give her his concerned glare or continuously open and close his mouth as if he couldn't decide what to say or how to bring up a certain subject.

"I'm okay, Nick," Amanda understood that he wanted a real answer as to her own events she faced earlier today.

Nick picked up his hand and ran in through her hair, "I know, you always are."

"It's not you, by the way…these last two _negotiations_, were not your fault, you did everything right. You gave Holden something he'd never had…understanding. And you're right, another minute and you could have brought him out of there alive…but I also want you to understand that he was an unstable teenager who got too close to one of New York's _finest_ detectives, and the last thing I wanted was his lips or hands on you," Nick tried to break the ice with humor but it didn't seem as though Amanda found it very funny, with a sigh of defeat he continued, "I'm sorry…but what I'm trying to get across is that it was the snipers who ended Holden's life, not you. By the book? No. Effective? Yes. You played into Holden's fantasy, which I'm sure meant more to him than you know. And as far as today goes, I have no doubt you – or Erin – had any hand in keeping Sam Whiting alive. Just like I told you about Ledbetter, they were going to stop at nothing, jail wasn't an option and Whiting knew he was caught."

Amanda sank into Nick's embrace and buried her head, running through his words in her head. Soon, however, the thoughts became too much, so rather she moved her head rested on his chest – over his heart – and gave a kiss right above his diaphragm.

Nick didn't need a verbal response from Amanda for him to know she got every word; a smile stretched upon Nick's face at Amanda's rare show of intimacy.

He wanted to profess his care for her, but knew such an admission would case her off rather than bring her in.

The quietness was peaceful and welcoming after their long day, but as Nick weighed on their conversation, a certain comment from Amanda kept nagging on his mind.

"Amanda?" He mumbled as he continued to stroke through her blonde hair. Her only response was a quiet moan of recognition.

"Has no one ever told you that they missed you…" Nick prodded warily, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, "your parents? Sister? Boyfriend? _…anyone_?"

Amanda only let out a sarcastic laugh, as if it was the most obvious answer.

Nick's hand wandered down to her back and began to rub small circles on her skin, desiring an actual response. "_Amanda_?"

With a huff, Amanda's stubbornness resolved and she decided to humor him, "nope….my parents were less than…attentive. I can count on one hand the times I remember the words 'I love you' come out of their mouths, for me or Kim combined. And as far as past relationships go…" she couldn't even grasp the right words, "well, you saw the absolute ride in Hell that was me and Nate. Need I say more?"

Amanda's attempt at humoring her way off the topic bothered Nick and his soothing circles on her back stopped. "Hey," he needed her to meet his eyes, so once she picked her head up and looked at him, Nick took his finger and placed it under Amanda's chin so he could keep her gaze, "you can call this cheesy all you want, but you deserved to be told that you were missed…to be loved, Amanda."

Amanda wanted – and tried – to look away and laugh off his advances because, honestly, going off her past experiences, 'love' was nothing but a fairy tale in her eyes…some unattainable realm that was placed on a fake pedestal for those who need to feel wanted. And that wasn't Amanda Rollins' style.

"Let's sleep," Amanda whispered, keeping her eyes glued to Nick's.

Of course he wished for something more – an acknowledgement of her understanding, preferably – but he decided to not push her further and enjoy having Amanda in his arms…not Ruzek's.

* * *

><p>Nick and Amanda made their way into the station just before six the next morning.<p>

Amanda had received an urgent text just after one the previous night, informing them that Voight had received troubling news and the case had become even more crucial.

So there they were, less than four hours of sleep under their belt with a full day's work ahead.

Ruzek, Halstead and Dawson were already fully engrossed with work as Nick and Amanda climbed the last few stairs into the Intelligence Headquarters.

"Morning," Dawson greeted, peering up over a case file with a full cup of coffee in hand.

"Hey," both replied in unison, setting out some paperwork that remained uncompleted from the previous night.

"Go ahead and grab some coffee, you're going to need it," Halstead gave a dull chuckle, "Voight should be back with an update in a few."

Nick and Amanda made their way out of the office and into the break room in search of caffeine.

Amanda busied herself with drying off two mugs while Nick started brewing, but he was caught by surprise when Amanda gave a grim declaration, "we need to find the little boy today, Nick…Chris, I mean…we have to-"

Nick allowed the pot to fill while he stepped behind Amanda at the sink then placed his hands on either side of her torso and gave a kiss just above her ear, "we will, Amanda…we'll find him."

Once she tired of continuously rubbing the towel over the already dry mugs, Amanda placed both near the coffee pot and turned around in Nick's arms.

"I just…have a bad feeling." Amanda reached around Nick's neck and gently connected her hands, still keep a little distance between them, "holding Amy in my arms yesterday…it was such a relief, but knowing Chris is still out there…it's like finding a needle in a hay stack."

"I know." Nick knew she was right but couldn't find the words to comfort her, so instead he placed a quick kiss on her lips.

The small notion caused a fire to come alive in Amanda and she quickly reattached their lips for a longer taste of his embrace.

Only seconds after detaching from one another, but still in their trance, a soft throat-clear came from the door way.

Nick didn't seem to be as affected as Amanda who immediately removed her hands from his neck and escaped the place in-between Nick's body and the back of the counter.

"Aman- Rollins, could I get your help with one of these government programs, I keep hitting a wall." Ruzek began, unsure of whether to be jealous or entertained by their _situation_.

"Um, yeah, sure…of course," Amanda fidgeted with her tan blazer and brushed an absent piece of hair away from her face into her pony tail.

Amanda took one last glance back at Nick before walking towards Ruzek, "hey," Nick called to bring her back.

Amanda whipped her head back around and shot Nick a burning glare, only to see him holding out a steaming cup of coffee towards her, "cream and sugar?"

Amanda gave a nervous nod, "thanks."

...

"Where are we?" Voight's voice came booming up the stairs before he was in view, catching everyone off guard.

Amanda continued to help Ruzek enter the case information into databases in hopes of getting any matches through specific details and themes. Dawson had requested Amaro's aid in digging further into the case files looking for anything – no matter how obscure – that may connect the dots which lead to the head mastermind.

Halstead stood from his seat at the desk to address his superior, "Ruzek and Rollins are expanding the search into government programs, hoping to get a ping…Dawson, Amaro and I are all digging in as far as we can, but…Boss, it's like a maze that leads to nowhere."

Voight took both hands to his face and rubbed his eyes, "that's what I was expecting…which is why I contacted Sergeant Benson last night." Both Nick and Amanda's ears perked up at the mention of Olivia and they gave each other a fruitful glare, "she's on her way here now, shouldn't be more than twenty 'till she arrives."

"Has…has something happened?" Nick piped up with curiosity, "I mean she said she would only make the trip if it was _absolutely_ necessary and we're still work-…"

Voight wasted no time, "they're taking the case away from me- …_us_." While everyone absorbed the information he took a look at his watch, "we've got eighteen hours to shut this down, guys."

Everyone could see the panicked sorrow in Voight's eyes, something not often seen in such a powerful man.

"Just…keep doing what you're doing." Voight mustered on his way to his office, but turned back after unlocking his door, "I've got Olinsky and Atwater working with forensics this morning, should be here in a bit; Lindsay should be in with Teddy around eight.

...

Nadia brought Amy into the station only minutes after Voight's arrival. At Lindsay's request, Nadia picked up Amy early this morning to bring her back to the department while her future sleeping arrangements were worked out.

Once Amanda came into Amy's view, a huge smile spread across her face and she detached her hand from Nadia's to rush to the blonde detective.

"Hey!" Amanda greeted from a squatted position on the ground with open arms, her smile matching Amy's who had her head now resting on Amanda's shoulder, "how are ya?"

Amy picked her head up but Amanda kept her arms around her. "Better…" Amy's smile seemed to fade for a moment as she thought back to her dreaded days, but it soon returned when she was reminded of her night with Erin. "Guess what!"

"What?" Amanda laughed eagerly and gazed up at Nick who had taken a spot behind her.

"Miss Erin let me have ice cream with sprinkles for dinner last night!" Amy couldn't contain her excitement, "and then we both slept on the couch…with the television on!"

"No way!" It made Amanda's heart swell to hear how happy the little pleasantries of life astounded Amy.

"Way! And Miss Nadia brought me some Cinderella pajamas and this pretty outfit last night, too!"

Nick couldn't tear his eyes away from the way Amanda interacted with the young girl. "Cinderella?!" Amanda squealed for Amy's delight.

"Yes! I bet you'd like them! They made me think of you," Amy stepped back into Amanda's embrace and relaxed on her shoulder.

If Nick wasn't mistaking, he would say Amanda was close to tears.

Amanda took a deep breath and separated herself from the young girl, "hey Amy, why don't you go play with Miss Nadia for a little bit…" she chose her next words carefully, knowing the consequences of not coming through on such a promise could be detrimental, "and _guess what_…we're gonna find Chris today…I promise."

The light in Amy's eyes made Amanda absolutely determined to keep such a promise.

"He's okay?" Amy breathed, still wheeling.

This made Amanda take a step back, but realized she was too far to go back on her word, "he will be…and I keep my promises."

Nadia took Amy's hand and lead her to the back of the offices, but the young girl never took her eyes off Amanda.

For a few moments after Amy had left, Amanda remained squatting, preparing herself for the absolute task ahead.

"Amanda…" Nick's words pulled Amanda out of her trance; she returned to her feet and braced herself for the lecture she was sure would follow.

"You can't promise her something like that...we don't know if we're-"

Amanda turned around to face Nick, then put her hand up to stop his nagging, "not _if, _Nick. _When_…when we find Chris."

Nick only glared. Amanda stepped toward him to be face to face and only inches apart, not caring who was around and watching, "don't look at me like that, Nick. Y'all heard the man, this case is as good as over by nightfall...and ya know as well as I do that none of us are going to let Chris's life fall into the hands of the state department."

For this, Nick – nor any other members of the team – had a response.

"I know I made that little girl a promise that…_may be out of my hands_…to keep. But she deserves…this…" Amanda took a step back from Nick, and motioned to the room around them, "she deserves people who are willing to fight for her – and Chris."

"She's right," Ruzek spoke from his corner desk, causing both Nick and Amanda to turn his way, "Rollins just said what we all know is true - none of us are giving up on Chris, we are working on an eighteen hour time frame and…we'll find him."

Ruzek's feedback irked Nick; the last thing he wanted was to pick a fight with Amanda and having Ruzek immediately take her side bothered him.

So rather than retaliate, Nick gave a huff, "okay…then, let's do this…"

...

Olinsky and Atwater had since returned to the station with several case files in hand, offering vital information that unfortunately told the team little they didn't already know.

It wasn't long after that Benson arrived at the Chicago PD, looking less than thrilled to be there but ready to solve the case nonetheless. After initial greetings, Liv strode straight into Voight's office to further discuss the next actions of the case.

Within a few minutes, Liv exited Voight's office with a new sense of determination written upon her face. "Amaro and Rollins, can I speak with you two for a moment?"

Nick threw the file he was holding down onto the nearest desk and gave Amanda a quick glance, "of course, Serg."

Once towards the back of the hallway, Benson wasted no time getting to her point, "Eighteen hours, guys? Really?"

"That's the latest…" Amanda groaned with her head down and hands tangled in front of her.

"Things have been tough, Liv…it a really tangled web," Nick tried to back Amanda up, but could sense the inner frustration from his superior, "this case has really taken the true form of _one step forward, two steps back."_

Liv let out an exasperated sigh and ran her hand over her forehead. "Okay…ummm…Amy, where are we on her?"

Amanda stayed silent, going back to her conversation with Voight the previous night. Liv looked between them, waiting for an answer, but when Nick looked to his partner Liv's eyes followed his gaze, "Amanda?"

"She's had a rough time, Serg…I don't know how much she can give us, or if it's worth bringing up memories she's already dealt with." Amanda treaded her comment with caution, understanding the weight of what she promised Amy with the avoidance of prying out information from her.

"What about showing her the lineup of guys? See if a face catches her attention…" Nick offered.

Benson had yet to remove her gaze from Amanda as she studied her options, "fine, I understand what Rollins is saying…when's Teddy coming in?"

Nick checked his watch, "probably within the next few minutes."

"Let's see if he can offer us anything further – update him on the case and show him the guys we're looking at…then, we'll try Amy."

...

Both Nick and Amanda returned to their prior tasks with Ruzek and Dawson while waiting for Teddy to arrive. Benson had rejoined Voight to further discuss their jurisdictional powers on the case.

"Hey guys," Lindsay called from the stairway, "this is Teddy."

It was no secret that the team was clearly taken aback by Teddy's appearance, probably expecting a more subtle-looking person to be joining Erin.

"I'm gonna takee my boss up to speed, alright? Go ahead and take my desk…" Lindsay pointed a finger towards her area before giving him a final glance and heading towards Voight's office.

Quick greetings were exchanged but an uneasy tension fell upon the office as many were unsure of how to treat Erin's sibling. Teddy tried to hide his own discomfort with a smile and a few laughs here and there, but it was clear he had absolutely no desire to be there. And if Amanda was to be honest, she felt bad for pulling Teddy off the streets where he had seemed to grow comfortable and into the hands of both the New York and Chicago PD. No matter the differences in his safety, over the past few days he has had to relive moments in his past that no one should have had to deal with in the first place…and Amanda _could_ imagine having to tell the tales of her own dark days.

It took only a matter of moments and a single look around the office for Teddy's eyes to land upon the board, "Oh my God."

"What?" Jay responded while everyone looked up from their work and over to the source.

Teddy fell into a trance-like state, pointing a finger upward towards a specific suspect, "that's him."

Standing from Erin's desk, Teddy took a few cautious steps forward as every detective caught his advances and followed.

"That's the guy who's in charge." No doubt or stutter filled his statement, Teddy's assurance was undeniable.

Nick and Amanda exchanged a hesitant glance, communicating through a look rather than words.

"Teddy, what do you mean?" Jay was careful, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and pulling the selected photo off the board.

Teddy gently pulled the picture out of Jay's hand as if he wasn't sure if it was real and studied the man's face further, taking a finger to trace the details of the photo.

"The boss…he- …he's the one in charge." It was obvious the words coming out of Teddy's mouth were physically painful for him to bare.

"You're sure?" Jay pressed.

Teddy gave a nod, still unable to tear his eyes away from the picture.

Halstead glanced back at Amanda standing behind him, "Rollins, will you join us in the back?"

"Yeah, just give me a sec," Amanda wove her way through the few bodies that separated her from Teddy and placed a gentle hand on his arm then gave him a smile before removing the picture from his hand.

She watched as Halstead lead Teddy down a hallway and into a back room, then looked down at the photo before her, still surprised at the man she saw.

Nick had since walked up behind her and gazed over her shoulder; after Teddy and Halstead's departure the team had begun to disperse back to their areas to prepare the files, knowing this could be break they'd been waiting for.

Amanda turned to be chest to chest with Nick – closer than usual for the office – and grabbed his bicep, "we've gotta let Voight, Lindsay and Liv know…" Amanda looked up at him through her lashes and handed him the photo without breaking eye contact, "will you show this to Amy, see if she recognizes him?"

Nick nodded and laid a sneaky hand on her hip, trying to remain inconspicuous from the detectives around them. His intimate contact in the office caught Amanda off guard, catching a breath in her throat.

Rather than risk being caught, Amanda took a step back to detach Nick's hand from her hip…no matter how much she may have enjoyed it.

...

Dawson gave two knocks on Voight's door and was greeted seconds later with his menacing rasp, "what is it?"

Noticing Lindsay standing at Voight's desk, Dawson spoke directly to her, "it's Teddy…I think he just gave us our guy."

Things began to move quickly after that…

Halstead and Amanda spoke with Teddy as to what more he could tell them about Bill van Camp. The growing trust Teddy felt between the two seemed to persuade him to provide further information and to dig farther into his past than before.

Amy was glad to see Nick and was eager to tell him about the story Nadia was reading her, but as soon as he placed the photo of him on the table in front of her, she fell into silence.

"Amy…do you know who this is?" Nick had yet to get a response from Amy but slid off his chair to kneel in front of her then take her hands in his, "have you ever seen him before?"

Amy shook her head, "what's his name?"

"Bill van Camp."

Nick waited for a response from Amy but she seemed to close off more as each second passed, just before he was about to leave her be, she squeaked out a small reply. "Mr.- …Mr. Whiting…he-I think he would talk to him on the phone…his-his boss, maybe?"

Nick let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, overjoyed with Amy's response, "Thank you, Amy. You've done such a good job! And this, this is going to help us find Chris."

Amy cracked a small smile, glad to know she provided something to the search of her brother. Nick stood and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and respect for Amy.

Voight had put Ruzek and Atwater in charge of gathering every piece of information available on van Camp - "I want you so far up in that bastards life, he won't walk straight for a week," were his specific orders.

The team's findings paired with the testimonies of both Teddy and Amy were enough to bring van Kamp in without fear of recognizance from a jury.

"Olinsky and Atwater, bring 'm in," Voight announced, holding the files in his hands.

Benson rose from her seat across the office, "with all due respect, Sergeant…shouldn't we wait for a warrant from the DA?"

"With all due respect, Sergeant…my team does things a little differently," it didn't seem Benson took offense from Voight's blunt statement, but it still drew stares, "times ticking, and I'm not waiting for some damn lawyer to tell me what I already know."

A simple nod of approval from Benson was all it took for Atwater and Olinsky to retreat down the stairs, intent on putting an end to van Kamp's last day as a free man.

* * *

><p>"Alrighty Boss, he's ready and waiting…" Atwater smirked with satisfaction, giving his knuckles a frightening crack as Olinsky came up behind him with a shaking head at his action.<p>

The entire Chicago team seemed to take satisfaction with this statement, bringing an odd glance between Nick and Amanda.

"Good work, boys," Voight breathed, clearly satisfied with the two but swiftly turned back before leaving the office, "everyone go ahead and wrap up…figure out a strategy for casing the location and grab your gear – this shouldn't take long."

The Chicago detectives continued their work, no seeming to take mind to the odd interaction before them, "where's van Camp? A holding cell?" Benson asked to no one in particular.

"Something like that," Dawson laughed without looking up from the file he was holding.

Benson looked around, more confused than ever.

"He's in The Cage…" Halstead answered, rolling his eyes at Dawson.

"The cage?" Nick repeated with cautious intrigue.

No one answered, unwilling to be the one to reveal the team's secret to the _so-thought_ clean-cut detectives; but Amanda's ears perked up at the mention, recalling her first experience in Chicago as they worked to track down a serial rapist. She knew what went down in the barracks: unspeakable interrogation tactics saved in special service for the particularly appalling criminals Voight and his team brought in from around Chicago. Although off the record and away from the books, the success rate was undeniable.

It was often that when such criminals came into SVU's hands – after hours of unsuccessful talking in a ten by ten room – Amanda couldn't deny her desire for a similar tactic. However, she knew there was a good chance Nick, and perhaps even Benson, wouldn't approve of such a danger The Cage brought, so she removed her eyes from Nick's profile and lost herself in the computer screen.

Halstead didn't seem to want to answer, so Olinsky took the bait, "Voight isn't a man that takes kind to putting _particular_ criminals in a brick box in hopes that a fair negotiation can be reached and the right information to be given…so he takes matters into his own hands."

Still uncomprehending, Dawson comes straight out with it, "guys like van Camp are handcuffed in 'The Cage' where the book of regulations doesn't exist and fists are more valuable than words. Voight gives the suspect a certain amount of time to come clean and tell 'em what he wants to know…and after that the tape comes out. I'd say Boss is giving that bastard about fifteen seconds."

A stone-faced Benson stands and descends the stairs without a word but obviously ready to handle the situation.

...

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think your Sergeant may have gotten through to the almighty Hank Voight…" Halstead gave an incredulous laugh.

Amanda decided to humor him as she still sensed Nick's tension regarding the team's unusual tactic. "How so?"

"You heard the man…it's not usual for Voight to spend more than a minute down there, something Benson said or did must have caused him to stand down."

"It's hard to disappoint someone like her…" Amanda replied, but only Nick understood the depth to her comment and he gave her a soft look from across the office.

As if her ears rung at the mention of her name, Benson emerged from the staircase with an expression as blank as the one she left with, but a smile soon appeared, "we've got an address, Voight's waiting for you guys in down in the barracks…"

The team could not contain their excitement, all standing and herding towards the stairs; as Nick and Amanda followed, Benson caught their attention. "Get that little boy, whatever you have to do…but be careful."

Benson's eyes landed on Amanda as she finished her comment, knowing how her young detective had a tendency to ignore the risk in search of the reward. Amanda nodded, however, encouraged by her words and ignoring her warning. As Amanda continued on towards the team, Benson gave a knowing look to Nick, asking for him to back up Amanda to which he eagerly nodded.

...

Voight had a wide variety to artillery spread out upon the benches when the team arrived in the basement.

"Alright, Whiting assured us the home was safe to breech – no surprises in the awaiting overly curious passerby's – but this far in the game I'd rather be safe than sorry."

All were distributed vests and secondary pistols but it was Ruzek and Halstead who grabbed the specialty weaponry as they were the ones to approach the doorway of the home first. Olinsky and Dawson collected their customary machine guns to be the casers of the perimeter while Atwater slung his tools and tacticals over his shoulder.

"Huddle up," Voight's vicious rasp fills the barracks and without question the team gathered around him, "van Camp claims Chris is held up in the back room of a basement; I want Ruzek and Halstead to remain on the first level until and after the home has been cleared, Dawson will lead the team downstairs so that Atwater and Olinsky can get to work on cracking open that back door. Amaro and Lindsay will back up Rollins…she'll grab the boy."

Voight held Amanda's eyes as he announced her role in the heist, and she couldn't deny the feeling that this detail had something to do with her challenge to him the previous night.

"If absolutely anything seems off or you guys get a feeling," Voight seemed to get flustered at the thought, "I want you all out of there within a matter of seconds…no questions asked, each one of you are worth more than this bastard's word. No matter what happens, I want to be informed immediately. Now go finish getting strapped up and head out."

"Hey, can you strap this for me?" Amanda asked Nick while she struggled with one of the back latches on her vest, "…it won't- …ugh, stick."

Nick chuckled as he watched her contort her arms around her body, "here, here," he gripped Amanda's hips and pulled her to him, "don't hurt yourself."

Nick took Amanda's upheld hair and moved it aside, brushing her neck in the process, causing chills to spread throughout her body and a breath to hitch in her throat. Spotting the problem and latching her vest on tight, Nick tugged on one of the pockets near her side to get Amanda to turn around to face him, "I know that look, Amanda…don't do- …stay- …ta-"

Amanda rolled her eyes and gave an annoyed laugh, "I can take care of myself, I know how to handle a search…thanks." Putting her hands up and taking a step back, Nick knew he'd crossed a line, "you're not my fath-"

"I'm not you father…I know," Nick tried to soften her by pulling her back in and pretending to fix another strap on her vest so he could lean in further without being too obvious, "these guys are willing to do anything to avoid jail time – we've both been witness to that – and if you were to get hu-"

"I'll be careful, _dad_."

...

The ride to the residence was short and filled with anticipation, no one knew what to expect.

Nick and Amanda joined Olinsky and Halstead in one of Chicago PD's blacked out cars. Seated in the back, hidden from the wandering eyes of the two men in front, Amanda placed a shaky hand on Nick's thigh but didn't move her gaze from outside her window.

Amanda's gesture spoke volumes as Nick was fully aware she was never one to show fear or anxiety; although trying to contain a smile, he places his hand over hers on his leg and gives it a squeeze of reassurance.

"Should be the next block, guys," Olinsky announces from the driver's seat, "get ready."

In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it move, Nick brings his and Amanda's entangled hands up to his mouth and gives the back of her hand a light kiss before releasing it to retrieve his gun. She had since faced him and gave him a prepared grin as she removed the safety on her pistol and cocked it back.

"Here we go," Halstead released his hold on the ceiling handle and thrust open the passenger door before the car had come to a full stop, leading Nick and Amanda to follow his action.

The breech of the given residence was preformed like a well-rehearsed dance, everyone's role was clear.

Olinsky hung back around the perimeter while Atwater broke through the door to allow Dawson then Ruzek and Halstead the first scan. Lindsay followed next with Amanda and Nick in tow, Olinsky bringing up the rear.

Halstead and Ruzek broke off to clear the various rooms throughout the home while Dawson led the others to the basement door under the staircase. Atwater came forward to test the door, checking for any wires or a source of heat from the other side of the threshold. With a quick circle of this finger in the air to signal the door was clear and to continue with the breech, Atwater turned the rusted handle and thrust the door open.

The team advanced towards the far end of the basement, checking for signs of movement along the way. A few steps in, Amanda looked back in search for Nick, needing reassurance he was near before the search for Chris came to a head. They locked eyes for a split second and Nick gave her a strong nod, sensing the panic in her body.

Dawson had a light directed at a strong lock that secured a thick metal door, he allowed room for Atwater to check the mechanisms of the bolt. Halstead had since joined the group and pulled two long tools out of Atwater's sack, handing one to Amanda for her to secure on the underside of the lock and the other to Atwater himself to thrust downward upon the bolt.

Nick watched Amanda turn her head as Atwater brought the tool up and his heart filled with fear, not ready to watch her on the front lines of whatever lurked behind the door. However, as soon as she heard the thick metal of the lock break, Amanda threw down the tool and pulled out her pistol. Atwater stepped back and Olinsky came forward to the door, looking at Amanda to see if she was ready then opened the door.

The seemingly fast forwarded pace of the last several minutes came to a screeching halt when the door burst open and the face of a young boy came into the teams' view.

Dawson dropped his drawn gun upon realizing van Kamp's statement was true, no tricks or traps. Olinsky allowed for Amanda to step forward into the dungeon-like room.

Once inside the room Amanda placed her pistol back in the holster and raised both hands in surrender, proving to the boy he was in-fact in the company of police. "Hey, hey…Chris? Chris Sebeka..."

The boy only nodded, still in shock of the presence of the gun-wielding officers. Amanda turned to the doorway in face of Nick and Lindsay, both peering in at Chris. It took a lot for Amanda to cry, the things she'd faced and had to deal with in her life provided her a tough stature, but the overwhelming sight before her caused her the need to tighten her grip to avoid letting a tear fall.

"Hey, Chris, everything's gonna be okay." Olinsky entered the room and squatted before the young boy.

Still unsure of the new intruder, Chris looked back to Amanda, "we're detectives from the Chicago Police Department, my name is Detective Rollins," she pointed to herself then to Olinsky, "and this is Detective Olinsky…you're safe now."

A single tear fell from Chris's eye and rolled down his cheek; as if his walls crumbled and decided to trust all at once, Chris weakly crawled to Amanda and took a vice grip around her neck as if he would be left alone in the room once again if he didn't capture the proof of reality in his arms.

This time Amanda didn't hold back the tear that threatened to spill from her eyes, she took Chris in her arms and let her emotion take over.

Seconds turned to minutes as Chris let his sobs of relief out onto Amanda's shoulder. She watched as the crowded glares faded, leaving only herself and Erin in the room; they'd gotten word that Dawson was still stationed – gun in hand – outside the door with Atwater at the stairs and Ruzek at the front door, no one was taking any chances.

Halstead and Amaro were stationed outside waiting for the forces to arrive; Jay had contacted Voight with the good news and asked him to send a full workup of emergency personal– which included a fire truck, ambulance and a few officers – as Rollins and Lindsay had yet to emerge from the house with the boy to determine what was needed.

"We don't want to upset you, Chris…you've been so brave," In the basement, Chris had separated from Amanda and seemed to be in well enough spirits to answer a few questions, "but we have to know if you're hurt…?"

"N-n-no," Chris stammered, but Amanda had spotted a few marks on what was exposed of his arm and gently pulled up his sleeve. Minor scratches and bruising trailed along both arms, but nothing that could be immediately ruled abuse.

"Okay, okay, good." Lindsay continued, unsure of how far to push, "how long have you been in here, bud? Do you know?"

"Three…three days? Maybe more, I-I…I don't remember."

Lindsay rubbed slow circles on his back, "hey, that's alright…are you hungry? …thirsty, maybe?"

Chris nodded, tears continuing to run freely down his cheeks, "do-do you know where my sister is…? A-Amy?"

Amanda smiled, happy to move on from the somber topic of his health, "yes, we found her yesterday…she's okay. Right now she's playing games with our friend at the police station."

Chris seemed to take relief from this information. "How would you like it if we got out of here? We've got some doctors outside that can get you cleaned up, then we'll get you something to eat and maybe see Amy before it gets too late…"

Cautiously optimistic but willing to try, Chris rose from the floor mattress and grasped Lindsay's hand. Amanda led them out of the dark basement and into the bright sun. As soon as Chris came into view the paramedics immediately set out towards them, but Amanda signaled for them to stop as the last thing she wanted to do was overwhelm Chris more than he was.

Squatting down Amanda took Chris's free hand in hers, "see that big, square truck over there? Would it be okay if we went and took a seat inside?"

Reluctantly, Chris nodded and followed Amanda to the ambulance, "come here," she spoke and picked him up under his arms to place him inside the rig.

"Look at all this cool stuff," Lindsay smiled, trying to make such an intimidating event seem less frightening, although she knew how scary being in the back of an ambulance could be having experienced it herself on a few occasions. However, Erin and Amanda's smiles turned sincere when they realized what bus Halstead and Amaro had requested, "you know what, Chris? This is _by far_ the best ambulance there is! Have you ever heard of Ambulance 81?"

Chris shook his head, although seeming curious about her excitement. Erin gave an incredulous laugh, "you will! This truck has been all over Chicago saving people every single day!"

Amanda turned and watched Gabrielle Dawson walk towards them, giving her a quick hug as she went to stand in front of Chris, "this is my friend Gabby, she's one of the best medics I know!"

Gabby gave a shy smile, "what's your name, little man?"

"Chris…Chris Sebeka." He voiced, watching as she pulled on a pair of blue gloves.

"Chris Sebeka, huh?" Gabby played along and tapped her chin, "wait, I know you…my brother was talking about you and your little sister, Amy last night!"

This news seemed to peek Chris's interest, making him oblivious to Gabby's quick medical check; however, when she began to rub his scratches with alcohol pads he was quick to flinch.

"Hey Chris, you know the guy downstairs that was holding the really big gun?" Lindsay picked up a nod from Chris, "That's her big brother!"

"Really?" Chris questioned Gabby, clearly suspicious of the relationship.

Gabby pulled out a stethoscope and held it to Chris's chest, "yep," she replied before changing the head's position to his back, "the one and only!"

"Woah…" Chris couldn't seem to comprehend the relation between a small medic and powerful detective as siblings.

Gabby took Chris's hand and placed two fingers over a vein in his wrist, "he was a really good big brother, always took care of me…I don't know Amy, but I bet she'd say the same thing about you."

This made Chris smile, obviously reminiscing of his younger sister.

"Oh, she did!" Erin nodded, "Amy slept at my house last night and she told me all about how you would guys would hide in the closets and play games."

"Have you ever been inside an ambulance before, Chris?" Gabby asked, motioning to the walls around him.

"No."

"Well, why don't you take a look around, then maybe we can take a ride…with the sirens," Gabby offered with excitement before turning to Erin and Amanda. "He seems to be alright…his pulse is weak but I don't see anything to make me believe that's nothing some fluids and a good meal won't fix. Think it'd be okay if we took him to Chicago Med and got a full workup?"

"Yeah, he seemed to take a liking to you," Lindsay joked although worried about transferring Chris through people so quickly.

"I won't leave his side," Gabby reassured, recognizing the hesitance in Erin and Amanda, "I'll have Mills take the ambo back to station to pick up Mason; I'll stay with Chris through everything."

"Your chief wouldn't mind?" Amanda prodded further.

"Of course not, I'll let him know what's been going on, he'll understand," Gabby flashed a bright smile and caught Mills walking towards them.

"Lindsay," Mills greeted, "and Detective Rollins, nice to see you again."

"Likewise," Amanda smiled at his northern charm.

"You ready to head out?" Mills asked Gabby, pulling out the keys to the rig.

Gabby looked to Erin, wanting her approval before leaving with Chris.

Both Amanda and Lindsay nodded before grabbing Chris's attention.

"Hey bud, how would you like to take a ride with Gabby to the doctors? …You can take a look at even more medical stuff?" Chris eagerly nodded at Amanda.

"Alright, but me and Amanda have to go back to the police station and visit Amy, do you think it would be fun if we brought her to visit you tonight?" Erin continued hesitantly, but Chris's enthusiasm built some assurance for her. "Okay… but I'll get you guys a police escort, I don't want to take any chances at this point."

Lindsay grabbed two officers to assist in the escort while Chris and Amanda exchanged hugs and Gabby climbed into the back of the rig with him.

"We'll see you later, okay Chris?" Lindsay shouted before Gabby collapsed the rig doors and then gave Mills the all clear to head out.

After continuously pulling on her vest collar for the past while, Amanda finally stripped it off and pulled on her coat to further protect her from the cold fall air.

Lindsay and Rollins headed over to where the rest of the detectives were stationed as they were eager to officially close the case.

Amanda caught Nick's eyes as she advanced closer to the group and his smile immediately grew, lighting up his face. Amanda couldn't help but match his grin as she sensed his true joy over seeing her.

Nick stepped out from behind the car he was stationed at with Ruzek and Halstead to greet Amanda, "everything good?"

Amanda couldn't contain her joy, "amazing!"

Nick held out his arms and Amanda gladly stepped into them, not caring who was around to see.

With her arms around Nick's shoulders and his arms wrapped around Amanda's torso, the team had confirmed what they'd already thought.

"We did it, Nick," Amanda breathed with her head against his chest, "we _actually_ did it…"

"With about five hours to spare," Nick laughed into her hair, sharing in her joy.

It felt as though a true weight had been lifted from Amanda's body; it would be a lie for her to say that during the breech of the rundown home she hadn't a moment of doubt over her promise to Amy.

Nick kept his hands around Amanda's waist while she had her hands on his shoulders; looking around, Nick spotted Ruzek glaring at the two and struggled to keep his satisfaction inside.

Recalling his comment yesterday, Nick decided to call out to Ruzek, "_this_ is why we do what we do…reaching endings like these makes all the horrendous moments worth it."

For this, Ruzek bowed his head in understanding.

...

Voight managed the scene with effortless order, calling in the appropriate forces and leading them to their places. Within minutes the scene was in organized chaos, buzzing with emergency crews and officers. Once satisfied with the work taking place, Voight left the area to head back to the police station as their fallen officer's family was expected to arrive within the hour.

The team preformed a final sweep of the residence, looking for immediate clues as to the full measures of the case, then broke up into their separate cars and headed back to the station.

Amanda's heart was still pumping when Lindsay got a message from Voight telling of the plans for a proper send of for McCadden and his family.

The pride and sorrow that coursed through the detectives was eminent in the cold Chicago wind; they held suit while Ross's wife and young daughter exited the station – box of belongings and honorary flag in hand – with tears streaming down their faces. Their goal was to honor his memory rather than demoralize his life into a small cardboard box of belongings.

Platt called the crowd of officers into attention and watched proudly as a mass of esteemed police stood with dignity to honor a man a majority of them never knew, but the bonding of uniformed men and women was a universal and unspoken respect.

Not until McCadden's grieving wife and daughter entered the black car waiting for them and took off did Platt call down the salute. Words weren't needed as the weight of such an event was heavy on each of their hearts. Platt reentered the station, allowing for the officers to dismantle and return to their duties.

...

"Although I feel like I didn't really do much, I think my work is done here," Benson announced once the team had come together in the Intelligence office, "I regret that I'm not able to stick around and enjoy what your beautiful city has to offer, but, if I leave now and pull some strings, I might be able to make it home in time to put Noah to bed."

Voight seemed to think for a second, stuffing his hands in his pockets and hanging his head, "you did more than you think…you SVU guys have a different way of thinking, and – after having the pleasure of working with your detectives twice now – I think we…meaning me…need to open our eyes to strategies other than force. And although I wish we had more time, I really appreciate you coming all the way down here."

"Of course," Benson smiled, pulling on her jacket.

"I'll help you with your things," Amaro offered and grabbed her suitcase to bring down to a cab.

"Thanks," she touched his arm, but before following him down the stairs she turned back to the group, "you and Rollins go ahead and stay the night…if you'd like, of course. Help tie up loose ends then enjoy yourselves, take a break and have a good time tonight. I'll line up a flight for you both tomorrow afternoon."

"Wow, um…thank you, Serg," Amanda smiled over at Nick, happy to have a chance to embrace Chicago.

Benson nodded and said final goodbyes to the team before descending the stairs with Nick in tow.

...

Upon Benson's departure, the team split to each finalize separate areas of the case.

Lindsay set out to work with Claire from Child Services in finding a new home for both Chris and Amy to call their own…permanently. Atwater and Olinsky headed back to the scene to ensure it was being handled correctly while Halstead and Ruzek went to speak to van Kamp at the booking area. Dawson took charge of the paperwork and enlisted Amaro's aid in completing it. To give Nadia a chance to catch up on her own work, Amanda spent time with Amy, playing games and simply talking about girl things…something, Amanda realized, Amy had never had the chance to do. And, of course, Voight got the pleasure of informing his boss of their successes that day.

It wasn't until the late evening that the entire team filed away the case sheets and was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

An hour previous, Nick had joined Amanda and Amy after Voight called Dawson to assist him further with closure on the case. Lindsay returned soon after and came baring the happy news about a new family for the siblings.

After a heartfelt goodbye – where a tear may or may not have been shed by Amanda – Lindsay took Amy to visit Chris while their new parents completed the necessary paperwork for the adoption and Chris's leave from the hospital.

Although Lindsay would be late, as she agreed to a dinner with Chris and Amy's new family, she and Halstead took Nick and Amanda up on their rain check to grab an afterhours round of beers. Aside from Olinsky and Dawson, who both had families to return home to, the entire team agreed to spend a rewarding night at Molly's to close out such an intense case.

The team headed out to freshen up after agreeing upon a meeting time of eight o'clock.

* * *

><p>Back at the hotel, Amanda decided on a pair of dark, fitted-jeans with a white camisole and nice cardigan but decided to keep on her black heals. Never before had Amanda been one that was overly concerned with her appearance, but when the prospect of an actual <em>relationship<em> came upon the horizon, she decided that maybe putting a slight effort in her look wouldn't hurt. Of course, Nick made it clear – in his charming ways – that she was 'beautiful' no matter what…but it was something she had a hard time believing.

Nick did nothing more than ditch his tie, unbutton the first few notches in his shirt, and roll his cuffs to the elbows. Resting on the bed and flipping channels, Nick's eyes widened when Amanda entered the bedroom free of her work attire and dressed in a elegantly casual outfit, showing off her already stunning figure and bright eyes.

"Is this ok?" Amanda squeaked, brushing invisible debris from her jeans.

Nick flipped off the television and scooted off the bed, "you look… gorgeous," he spoke incredulously while taking her in as she stood before him.

Amanda rolled her eyes and gave a disbelieving laugh before stepping around him to grab her coat near the door, "'gorgeous' huh?"

"Hey," Nick stopped her by holding his arm out and grasping her waist to pull her to him, "_you are…_"

Nick pulled her in and placed a kiss on her cheek while holding her firm against him, "why don't you believe that?"

Amanda brushed him off, "don't get all deep with me, Nick…let's go have some fun," she smiled and tried removing herself from his arms.

Nick wouldn't budge, wanting something further as this wasn't the first time such a comment had come up.

Amanda groaned, feeling the persistence from the man before her, "I've been called a lot of things in my life…and-I…it's just at a certain point…" Amanda found herself tongue-tied, wanting equally to let things off her chest but also escape the third degree.

"'Gorgeous' just isn't a word I've been called very often…_if ever_…" the last part was added quietly, and part of her hoped Nick wouldn't hear it at all.

Nick finally allowed her to remove herself from his stare and walk past him.

Deciding to give her space, Nick allowed her to get her coat and scarf on while he did the same. Before exiting the hotel room, he grasped her arm and caught her full attention.

"_You are 'gorgeous'_," Nick smiled and gave her a gentle kiss, "and I want to know who made you think you weren't…"

At those words, Amanda turned around and tried to continue her way out of the hotel room, but Nick pulled her back to him with a laugh. "_But_…tonight, I think we could both use a few drinks and a little fun."

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief and finally let her guard down then welcomed him in for a passionate kiss.

...

Walking into Molly's, Nick and Amanda immediately spotted Halstead and Atwater chatting with Kelly and Herman from Fire House 51 and took a few steps toward the bar.

"Hey!" Atwater smiled and set down his beer, "Kelly, Howard – this is Nick Amaro and Amanda Rollins from Manhattan SVU. Smart kids, cracked our case within thirty-six hours."

Nick helped Amanda out of her coat – which earned him an embarrassed yet dually thankful look – and hung in on the back of the stool she took. Standing behind her with a hand on the back of her chair, Nick gave Halstead a hand shake of greeting before Herman gave an impressed laugh, "help'n these boys out? I have to ask though, how was Voight?"

Nick and Amanda exchanged a glance. "He was…ya know – he gets the job done, point blank. His tactics might be a little…_excessive?_...at times, but he's a good sergeant." Nick explained, meaning every word…and even the implied.

Nick's honesty earned a laugh from the rest of the guys. "Here's to that, then. What would you guys like?"

Amanda looked to Nick with a shrug, "best you've got on tap," Nick smiled.

Herman gave a nod and prepared their drinks. "Good stuff, guys." Halstead gestured to Nick and Amanda's topped glasses and took a drink of his own, "Ruzek and Burgess are right over there – and Lindsay should be here within the hour."

Nick and Amanda immediately followed Halstead's gesture to Ruzek and Burgess, noticing them sitting suspiciously close for two Chicago PD members in public.

Nick looked to Halstead and nodded his head over to the pair, "are they…"

"Together?" Halstead inquired with an amused smile, "yeah, I guess."

Both Nick and Amanda seemed to be taken aback by this, earning further explanation from Atwater. "Voight knows…Burgess was my partner last quarter, and - long story short – I got promoted, she didn't. You learn pretty quickly in this department that Voight…well, see's and knows all."

"Oh…wow," It was Amanda's turn to speak, but perfectly encompassed Nick's thoughts. Never had he imagined that – although it was no secret he had a liking for Amanda – Ruzek had his own work-relationship problems.

Halstead called Ruzek and Burgess over the bar and the group feel into comfortable conversation, mixing both personal and work life. Erin arrived a little while later, bringing happy news about Chris and Amy's new life with their adoptive family.

When Nick and the guys started a _friendly_ discussion regarding future playoff chances between the Bears and Patriots, Erin pulled Amanda aside and led them to a back table.

"So…I guess now's as good a time as any…" Erin started, circling the rim of her glass.

"For…"

"The past two cases we've worked, your sister has come up…" Erin reminded Amanda without tearing her eyes from her drink, "tell me about her."

Amanda gave a dry laugh and leaned back in her chair, seeming to ponder Erin's request.

"Where do I begin…"

"From the start," Erin stated, finally making eye contact.

Amanda remained silent for several moments, but began suddenly, "my parents were like poison to each other, and yet – consequently enough – they had kids. They didn't end up staying together, no shocker there. My dad had…_problems_…but he was a good father, he _tried_…which is more than I can say for my mom…"

Amanda seemed to get lost in her memories, contemplating just how much to reveal. "Anyways, his antics – _if you will_ – caught up with him. He was arrested then killed in jail when word got out that he snitched on some pretty powerful people. It was really hard, ya know…one day he was there and then he was just, _gone_. My mom seemed as if she couldn't care less, she'd had her flavors-of-the-week over at our house for as long as I could remember at that point so I doubt she gave his passing a second thought."

Erin reached across the table and squeezed Amanda's hand, sensing her emotions resurface. "I'm sorry, Amanda."

She gave a weak smile of gratitude, "Kim's five years younger than me, and I made it my personal mission to keep her safe when we were young. Protect her from the harsh reality that was our family. Whenever one of our mom's boyfriends got…_handsy_…I would shut her in her room, take the brunt of it myself. It wasn't until we were both teenagers that I thought I finally got through to my mom, convinced her that she could change, get better…stop the drinking and the drugs and the serial dating… Things were nice for a while…we almost seemed _normal_. Kim wasn't getting into as much trouble, I wasn't foraging my mom's signature on her detention slips every few days, and her grades were improving. Then, I came home and found that my mom had fallen off the cerebral wagon…hard. It was even worse than before, and after that…I gave up, stopped trying to change the inevitable. But, our childhood made me strong, resilient…Kim though, it made her fragile and, quite honestly, naïve – to put it nicely. When I graduated, I made the decision to grow from my past and enrolled in the police academy…"

Erin was silent, unsure of how to respond to such a revelation. "I'm so sorry, Amanda…I can't imagine…"

"You had quite a childhood yourself…"

Both fumbled with their drinks, pondering their conversation.

"What happened with Kim?" Erin asked suddenly, pulling Amanda out of her thoughts, "I mean…I feel like there's mor-…unless you don't want to talk about it, I was-"

"No…uh no, it's just…" flustered and vulnerable, Amanda stuttered, "Kim's behavior continued out of High School, which wasn't a surprise given our parents. She got in a bad relationship with a man who made everything worse...but I was still her big sister, so every time I got the call that she'd been picked up, I would always be the first to bail her out. After a while I had to start using my connections as an Atlanta PD detective to get her out, and, on a certain occasion, I…I made a bad decision. Her inability to abide by the law caused me a year and a half of absolute hell, worse than anything we faced as kids…I never thought I'd forgive her. Then, she showed up in New York three years later – right when I was settling in – and got me arrested for murder, almost cost me my job…the only thing I had left."

"Amanda…I…"

"I hated her…_I thought_. I've spent my entire life protecting her, I couldn't just stop caring. I broke down when I found out she was wanted for conspiring murder against her boyfriend and blaming a decorated Manhattan detective; Kim wouldn't last a day in prison and I couldn't bear to go through the same thing I did with my father. I went home that night to find my house empty, she'd taken everything…and fled. I haven't heard from her since…but I still care. She's my baby sister…I love her, I raised her…I've been using some connections to try and find her, and I recently got a tip that she was in Houston…and I don't want to think about what she's got herself into...if she's been able to stay of the radar for over two years…I-I…"

Erin was holding onto every word, and realized what Amanda was hinting to. "You think she's…" she didn't want to continue, unable to comprehend that Amanda's sister may be in the same situation as Teddy, even now. Amanda had helped Erin get to the bottom of what happened to her brother all while worrying about her little sister.

Amanda just stared at her lessening drink with glassy eyes, catching the drips of condensation with her fingers.

Nick had left the guys at the bar to go see what Erin and Amanda were up to, but upon noticing Amanda's body language, he stopped his advances and simply watched from behind for several seconds.

"_You think she's…" _Was the only thing Nick heard of their conversation, and when Amanda didn't reply to Erin's inquiry Nick began moving forward.

A sharp hand on his back pulled Nick out of his thoughts as Jay walked past him at a faster pace.

"Hey, Gabby and Matt just came in," Halstead grinned at the two detectives, but saw the grim faces and retreated. "You guys alright?"

Nick stepped behind Amanda and placed a gentle hand on her back, trying to take in her facial expressions.

Erin and Amanda exchanged a look before responding, both silently resting their conversation. Erin looked up to Jay before taking his bicep to help herself off the stool. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why don't we go say hi?"

It was unspokenly agreed upon that Nick and Amanda would follow in a moment, allowing for Nick to step out from behind Amanda and come face to face with her.

Amanda was melting under his stare and finally broke, "what?" she whined, "don't look at me like that…"

"Who's '_she'_?"

Amanda took a long swig of her drink and threw her head back, "again with the third degree, Nick?"

Understanding her lack of patience, Nick took Erin's vacant seat across from Amanda and folded his arms onto the table, "I'm sorry…it's just- you look really upset."

Amanda huffed and set both hands on the table, "we came here to have a good time, not relive my childhood."

Taking the final ounce of her drink like a shot, Amanda scooted off her chair and held out her hand for Nick to take.

...

Truth to word, Nick and Amanda did have fun. A few more of the Station 51 guys came to hang at Molly's while the drinks were flowing and easy chatter filled the bar.

It wasn't until a little after midnight that the group began filing out of the bar, each saying their goodbyes and throwing in the towel one by one.

Together, both Jay and Erin and Nick and Amanda decided it was time to head out; they all grabbed their coats and made a round of thanks and goodbyes before heading to the door.

Outside, Amanda instinctively huddled next to Nick for warmth as frigid Chicago air hit her skin, penetrating through even the thickest of winter coats.

Not going unnoticed by Halstead, he finally addressed the elephant-in-the-room. "So, uh…how long has…ya know, this, been going on?" It wasn't until the words began to leave his mouth did Jay realize the strength of his question.

Erin gawked at him with wide eyes, shocked at his sudden bluntness.

"A few months," Amanda answered just moments later, catching everyone off guard. Not even Jay expected a real answer.

"Six months…give or take," taking Amanda's bold answer in stride, Nick continued, "how 'bout you two?"

"What?" Erin laughed, choosing to believe Nick was joking.

"There's nothing going on…" Jay spoke for her, "you guys saw how our team works…we could never-"

Erin kept her head down, clearly unsure of Jay's statement. "Voight…we couldn't keep something like that from him, especially while working under his nose every day…Does Sergeant Benson know?"

Amanda shook her head, "no one does…"

"_We_ don't even know what _this_ is," Nick answered honestly, motioning between himself and Amanda.

"We both had a few rough patches and…I don't know…it just happened," Never having been so open with their relationship, Amanda was surprised at her own confessions. "I was so sick of being asked if I was 'okay' …constantly having to make up answers to comfort _them_ - but with each other, we just understand…"

The street fell quiet, all studied Amanda's words.

"We've always been confined to one of our houses, so now – being where no one knows us – it's nice to be free of the tension and just – I don't know…" Nick rambled, unsure if where to go with the statement.

Nick and Amanda could feel the strain between Jay and Erin, understanding the pressure they were under.

"I can tell you to have feelings – or at the very least, care – for one another…and if you guys think something could be made of a relationship, try it…"

Not much was said after that; neither Jay nor Erin could think of an adequate response, while Nick and Amanda silently pondered the state of their own relationship.

Nick and Jay said their goodbyes; while Erin embraced Amanda in a tight hug, "listen, you decide that you wanna find your sister – one call and we're there," she whispered in her ear.

The simple sediment alone was enough to make Amanda tear up, hugging her tighter and whispering a sincere "thank you."

Erin pulled away and looked directly into her eyes, "No. Thank _you_," she said honestly and looked to Nick as well, "both of you."

Goodbyes were exchanged between the pairs before they split. Nick and Amanda chose to walk back to the hotel as it was only a few blocks away, and they chose to overlook the chill in favor of taking in the Chicago scenery during their final few hours in the city.

Amanda clutched Nick's arm as they trailed the Chicago sidewalk; nothing much was said as words weren't needed after their confession to Jay and Erin.

"Kim." Amanda stated out of the blue. Both were stopped at an intersection, waiting for the few cars and taxis on the late night road to pass, Amanda huddled closer to Nick and leaned her head near his shoulder.

Not waiting for a response, Amanda continued, "Erin and I…we were talking about my sister."

Shocked was an understatement as to what Nick felt. The memories were still fresh in his mind of the terror Kim put Amanda through: Jack's threatening her, Kim changing her story for IAB, Amanda losing her badge then being hulled out of the station in hand-cuffs…and yet, after all Kim did to her, Amanda still broke-down upon finding out about what was in store for her sister when she was caught. Never will he be able to erase the memory of having to practically carry Amanda out of Tucker's office that night, nor the phone call he received from Fin regarding the state of her apartment just an hour later. The absolute fear and sadness in her eyes the next day made Nick care for her all the more.

"You've talked to her?"

Amanda waited for the _Walk_ signal to appear before continuing. "No…"

Nick patiently waited for her to continue as they walked down the street, he was in no rush to end their worry-free night.

Amanda knew how Nick felt about her sister; even when he was married it was no secret they cared for each other, but, of course, his wedding ring and their annoyance for one another prohibited further interaction.

Sensing her nervousness, Nick placed his left hand over hers that rested on his right arm.

"I haven't heard from her since that night," Amanda finally spoke, "but…I-I…her case has gone cold, Nick…no one's looking for her anymore.

"I couldn't stand to see her in jail, but its been almost two years…Kim's naïve, she doesn't have the street-smarts to keep off the grid for that long."

"What are you saying, Amanda?"

"Something's wrong…I don't know what but, Nick, I…" Nick took Amanda's hand from his arm and took it in his own then pulled her under an awning of the nearest building, wanting her full attention.

"I've been using some of our programs to track her down." Amanda said bluntly.

Nick didn't have words to express, as he wasn't sure whether to dissuade her from continuing or comfort her fears.

A single tear fell from Amanda's eye and rolled down her frozen, rosy cheek. Nick heart immediately crumbled; he took his thumb and brushed the tear from her face then brought her in for a tight embrace.

"She's in Houston…" she whimpered into his shoulder, "I-I think she's got herself into…into the…"

Amanda's implication caused his breath to waver and eyes to shut tight; Nick shrugged the embrace and took her face in his hands once she was no longer in his arms.

"The ring?"

The flow of tears that cascaded from Amanda's iced eyes confirmed his guess. He gave her forehead a quick kiss and then brought her back in to his arms.

"She's my sister, I-I need to…" Amanda pleaded into his chest.

Nick held her against him, "I know," he comforted, "I know…"

* * *

><p>Later that night, only hours from sunrise, Nick held Amanda in his arms as they lay together under the warm duvet on the hotel bed.<p>

The walk back to the room was short after Amanda's revelation. Nick's arm was possessively secured around Amanda's waist as she clutched the back of his coat; the chill in the air was nothing in compare to the stiffness they both felt inside.

Words were dispensable to the emotions they were both experiencing.

While laying side by side with Nick and feeling his arms embrace her frail body, Amanda was in awe at how he had shared in her emotions and took her sentiments first hand. Never before had someone cared so deeply for her comfort and security.

"Do you remember the case with the BX9 gang?" Amanda asked quietly, trying to find her voice.

Nick took his hand that wasn't wrapped around her and ran it down the back of her head, "yeah…"

Amanda fell silent, leaving Nick to ponder her question. Minutes passed before he came to a painful realization, causing him to sigh and hold her tighter, "_Amanda_…Avery thought Manny had been killed, her jump had nothing to do with what you said or didn't say. The important thing is that you stalled her long enough for the police to bring out the bag, it saved her life."

Amanda clutched her eyes closed in memory of her _first_ of three failed negotiation attempts.

"When I went ta visit Avery after the case had closed, she kept talkin' about how she thought Manny died thinking she didn't love 'em…" Amanda whispered, tears prickling as she recalled the conversation, "I tried to convince her that he _knew…_but then she asked me somethin' that I still think about to this day…"

Nick waited for Amanda to continue, but held his breath for her next words.

"She asked me if I had ever been with someone who was willing to die protectin' me…"

Nick felt her tense in his arms, "what'd you say...?"

"_No_."

The single word made Nick's heart burn with sadness, he couldn't comprehend how someone like Amanda had never been with a man who truly cared for her in such a way. Her strong sense of independence and solid stubbornness were nothing in compared to her inner thoughtfulness and absolute care for everyone but herself.

Although imperfect relationships, Nick would do absolutely _anything_ for Maria or Cynthia, and he hoped to all that they knew that…

And laying with Amanda in his arms provided him with an awareness that – although was not recent – he would do anything and everything for her as well. Their _relationship_ had no title and he had no idea if it ever would; however, the amazing woman he had come to know over the last three years, and even more recently, placed no doubt in his mind regarding his feelings for her.

"I would."

The sincerity and absolute care in his voice made Amanda believe his seemingly defensible comment.

Amanda took Nick's hand in hers and held their intertwined fingers to her chest; this simple action expressed more than words ever could. Placing a kiss on the top of her head and snuggling into her further, both Nick and Amanda drifted to a peaceful sleep where their version of love was expressed without a voice.

* * *

><p>So, there it is! There are some overly cheesy parts but I couldn't help it! I tried to take the story full circle with Kim's story and even add Amanda's first negotiation in "Betrayal's Climax" because it fit and I also have wanted to mention Avery's question to Amanda .er.!<p>

Right after I post this I'm going to immediately get started on "Spousal Privilege" and take it to "Forgiving Rollins" and even add "Padre Sandunguero" into the story because I've been waiting to get my hands on those episodes for a long long time! Who knows how long it will take me but hopefully by the time I'm done I'll have more material to continue with another fic afterwards…and I'm not even going to get started on my thoughts about the whole Rollaro situation with the writers rn…it just makes my head and heart hurt! Who knows what will happen tho…here's to hoping!

Thanks again, guys! :D


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